Why Choose a Private Doctor Medical Service?

There is no doubt it is becoming more difficult to obtain an NHS appointment when required: It is not uncommon to find people offered an appointment in 2 or even 3 weeks, often with a locum doctor with whom they have no previous knowledge. This leads to dissatisfaction for both acute problems when prompt attention is needed and for long-standing problems when a continuing relationship with the doctor is very beneficial. Many NHS practices are struggling to recruit doctors and new housing estates are springing up throughout the county with no primary medical care provision in place.

Private Doctor Medical Services

We are seeing a growth in the number of Doctors choosing to work privately and a substantial growth in the number of patients seeking such care. So what might be the advantages and the pitfalls of such a choice? Well first of all there is a cost and there are no means within the UK of transferring the money each of us pays for the NHS into an alternative health care system. Every appointment has a price, which will vary according to the appointment length. In addition, any tests would be chargeable and all prescriptions written are “private prescriptions”. This means at the pharmacy, you will pay the cost of the drug plus the pharmacy charge, not an NHS prescription charge. Even if you are entitled to free NHS prescriptions, your private prescription medication must be paid for. If you have an ongoing medical problem this can be a significant ongoing cost. Your private Doctor does not have any access to your NHS notes: if you are able to remember and give a clear account of your medical history to date that is rarely a problem but if your history is complex then your private Doctor may ask you to obtain a copy of your NHS records, at your own expense.

Appointments

On the plus side, most private Doctor clinics will offer you an appointment on the day you request with same-day appointments usually available. Appointments are longer, with a minimum of 20 minutes offered and locums are not used so you will see the same doctor each time you attend. Private Doctors are not constrained by NHS funding restrictions: tests can be arranged quickly and appropriately and a high standard of care is practised. A full range of travel medical services, private medicals and health screening can be available in a way NHS Doctors are not able to provide within their general medical services contracts.
Most patients do not use private medical services exclusively for all their medical care but as a service to run alongside their NHS provision, available when the NHS service is not able to meet their needs in terms of time, availability or quality.

The British NHS is unique in the world in terms of being free at the point of delivery and we should all appreciate that great blessing: but it cannot deliver everything we need and want to order all the time and everywhere. If you feel a private Doctor may be right for you, now or in the future please feel free to contact us.