Need a good PRIVATE GP

silvercar

Try local facebook groups for recommendations, a couple of groups that I belong to have had questions like yours.

System

semtal wrote: »

@welshdent: Eastbourne, South England. New to the area. Fam and friends all pretty much overseas (Aus).

I would think there might be private GPs in Brighton and Hove. Not really on your doorstep, but not as far as London and easily reachable by public transport if necessary.

As you say, it's finding a reliable one as opposed to just googling and taking pot luck.

Nicki

heartbreak_star wrote: »

Is the NHS not good enough for you? Are you one of the "worried well"?

HBS x

Why do you need to be one of the worried well to see a private doctor?

I can never get an appointment with my NHS doctor so saw a private GP who referred me to a private consultant who carried out a lot of tests and gave me a diagnosis of a serious chronic condition.

My daughter had several seizures in a short period of time when she was 10 and the NHS failed three times to make the referral she needed to the neurology department so we saw a private neurologist who again after tests diagnosed her with epilepsy. So she wasn't worried well either.

If you live in an area where GPs practices are over subscribed particularly if you also work normal office hours there are many many reasons why you might have to, or find it more convenient to, have private medical care without being a hypochondriac!

theoretica

semtal wrote: »

If anyone knows of a trusted organisation/site that lists private GP's/practices be great if you can help out.

Cheers!

Did you find this listing? Looks like many or all also do NHS, but not sure why that matters.
http://www.whatclinic.com/doctors/uk/east-sussex/eastbourne

indiepanda

Nicki wrote: »

Why do you need to be one of the worried well to see a private doctor?

I can never get an appointment with my NHS doctor so saw a private GP who referred me to a private consultant who carried out a lot of tests and gave me a diagnosis of a serious chronic condition.

My daughter had several seizures in a short period of time when she was 10 and the NHS failed three times to make the referral she needed to the neurology department so we saw a private neurologist who again after tests diagnosed her with epilepsy. So she wasn't worried well either.

If you live in an area where GPs practices are over subscribed particularly if you also work normal office hours there are many many reasons why you might have to, or find it more convenient to, have private medical care without being a hypochondriac!

Exactly. If I need to see a doctor but am not sick enough to convince them to give me an on the day appointment then I really can't get in to the NHS GP. So even getting things like my prescription only hay fever tablets is a lot easier going private - they're five minutes walk from my desk at work too so no need to take time off and I can usually get an appointment within 24 hours

heuchera

indiepanda wrote: »

Exactly. If I need to see a doctor but am not sick enough to convince them to give me an on the day appointment then I really can't get in to the NHS GP. So even getting things like my prescription only hay fever tablets is a lot easier going private - they're five minutes walk from my desk at work too so no need to take time off and I can usually get an appointment within 24 hours

Can I ask, how did you find out about your private GP, did you just happen to see the surgery when you were in the area? It sounds quite useful to have access to a private GP as a back-up, - the NHS can't always be relied upon.

indiepanda

heuchera wrote: »

Can I ask, how did you find out about your private GP, did you just happen to see the surgery when you were in the area? It sounds quite useful to have access to a private GP as a back-up, - the NHS can't always be relied upon.

My company has a health suite with a doctor onsite most days and dentist / physio some days. Basically it's a big audit and consulting firm and I think they realised they were losing money when staff had to take time out to go to see NHS practioners, plus some people weren't going when they should have, so were ending up sick and off work. On balance I think they decided it was worthwhile providing an onsite service to us - but at a fee. I pay £150 pa for unlimited GP appointments - or you can pay as you go for something like £35 per appointment.

semtal

Before I reply I'd just like to make it clear that I'm not trying to attack anyone here. For me this isn't about 'NHS vs' or gripes I have. I'm just in a bad way health-wise and need a new start. That start has to be with a new private GP.

The company GP sounds like a good idea. Unfortunately, I don't have that option.

The list of GP's in the What Clinic? website seem to only list either NHS only or a combination of NHS and private services. I've come across the latter a couple of times and it's as if they have to follow the NHS rules, whereas strictly private GP's can (seemingly) do as they wish.

Mu options so far seem to be private hospital GP's or seeing what Bupa have available.

I'm surprised the British Medical Association haven't been able to provide me with a list of doctors or recommend any organisation that could do the same.

If you know of any popular health forums or any information that could help me find a private GP please post here.

Nicki

It's definitely not the case that doctors who have a split NHS/ private practice have to follow NHS rules and protocols in their private practice. Most private doctors also have an NHS part time contract though there are some who are fully private. I know this for a fact because when my son was ill the private paediatrician who also worked in an NHS hospital 3 days a week was able to bypass the options he knew were unlikely to work which were the first and second tier levels of NHS treatment he would otherwise have had to try for reasons of cost.

semtal

Maybe I've just been unlucky then and it's down to the doctor you end up with. It must be nice to find the ones that go the extra mile for you.

I was hoping for a few more suggestions/info that might prove helpful in my 'quest'.