Private Consultation

patcat

I was referred to a consultant over a year ago and have had a couple of tests and then actually saw the MR consultant a couple of weeks ago. It now turns out that its not their department I should be seeing but another Consultant at another hospital. Can anyone tell me, if I could manage to pay for a private consultation rather than wait another 3 months at least to see this new one to try and hurry things along would I still be eligible to have the operation that is needed on the NHS

beechescomposter

Yes- you can change between private and NHS as often as you like. Seeing a private consultant would still mean you have to wait for any NHS operation or investigations but you won't have the additional time for the first consultation. Also if the consultant thinks your operation is urgent you would go on an urgent NHS list. This is a good way to speed things up without the cost of having private insurance or paying for all the surgury privately.

patcat

Many thanks for that. I reckon a Private Consult would be about £200. With a bit of jigging of the finances , I think I should be able to manage that. Perhaps I can get things organised this week and start the ball rolling.

dmg24

I would check this information at the relevant Trust. In Nottingham, this is not the case (or it wasn't up until last year). If you see a Consultant privately, they cannot then put you on to the NHS waiting list, even if it is the same Consultant that you would see in the NHS.

patcat

Oh right,will make an appointment with my GP and have a word with him.
Thanks for that.

beechescomposter

This is what it says on the BMA website:

Patients who are entitled to NHS funded treatment may opt into or out of NHS care at any stage.
*Patients who have had a private consultation for investigations and diagnosis may transfer to the NHS for any subsequent treatment. They should be placed directly onto the NHS waiting list at the same position as if their original consultation had been within the NHS.
It would be inappropriate for consultants to pressure or encourage patients to transfer from NHS funded treatment to private care.
Where clinically appropriate treatment is not funded by the NHS, patients should be informed of this in order to consider the options open to them, including the option of seeking the treatment privately.
Consultants should not spend time during NHS consultations discussing private treatment with patients nor should they use their NHS patient lists to promote their private practice.
All doctors have a duty to share information with others providing care and treatment for their patients, this includes NHS doctors providing information to private practitioners.

The link for the page is: http://www.bma.org.uk/ap.nsf/Content/NHSprivate?OpenDocument&Highlight=2,private,care

If Nottingham is adding the NHS wait for initial consultation to private patients wait for surgery then they are either acting illegally or have misinterpreted the rules.
These rules are not well understood and if you phone up the hospital you are likely to be fobbed off by a clerk. The consultants secretary might know or they may have a private patients office.

*My emphasis

patcat

Many thanks Beeches, that clarifies things for me. I presume I am right in thinking that to organise a Private Consult, I have to go through my GP?

beechescomposter

Yes thats right. If you have already been referred NHS you could just phone the consultant's secretary and say you want to be seen privately. If the GP has to do another referral for a private consultation I think they can charge (not sure).

patcat

Ok, many thanks, will give the Consultants Secretary a ring, see how long she thinks I will have to wait to see him on NHS then ask about a private appointment.

Savvy_Sue

You could also talk to your GP about a faster appointment with the right consultant, given that someone has messed up somewhere, possibly, or just that you've been waiting a long time to get this resolved.

If you think someone has messed up at the hospital then their PALS service might be helpful!