Going private... how does it work?

[ToLiveInPeace]

I've had a worrying and uncomfortable health problem for three months. Nothing is showing up in tests so I now have a gastro referral, but that will take 2-3 months. If I saw a private consultant, how would it work if I can afford a consultation but not full tests etc - could they refer me to the NHS for that?

What is the point of having a private consultation but no tests? Seeing a private consultant initially then going back into NHS doesn't mean you jump the NHS queue if that is what you mean?

Example - we have BUPA...saw a consultant privately (who also works NHS which is the norm) and he recommended grommets. We had the option of waiting 6 months for him to do it on NHS or if we did it privately, 2 weeks.

In Scotland (so not sure if it's the same elsewhere) but here you can contact private consultant for an appointment but for most conditions they will require a referral from your GP. You pay for the consultation. If you want test on NHS you will wait on the same waiting list as everyone else. If you want the procedure/investigations faster you pay. Be aware that after the tests if you want to discuss the results with the private consultant you need to pay again for another consultation. Alternatively they can send results to your GP.

Although I have heard of a couple who took their young child for a private consultation and testing, and he operated on the child the following week but through the NHS. I can only assume that as it was a child the allowed waiting times were much shorter?

I don't think you can mix and match like that-
I think if you see a private consultant then the ensuing treatment,
including prescriptions etc are paid for privately.
Are you paying or do you have private insurance?

OP, you could try ringing the waiting office and say you would be free for a last minute cancellation?
If it's for something like a OGD they do extra lists to get the waiting lists down and you might get on one of those?

Thanks for your kind replies. I don't have private healthcare.

I had a private consultation a few years ago for something else. I -think- he was able to give me a referral for NHS treatment, though in the meantime I paid to see a private therapist he recommended.

This time round, I really want someone to listen to me properly and look at my full medical history. Follow-on tests are likely to be well beyond my budget in this case but would going private get me in the queue for colonoscopy etc on the NHS? I'm too uncomfortable to sit properly and so tired from lack of sleep.

You aren’t committed to paying privately for everything following a private consultation. You can go back into the NHS system but you don’t jump any queues and can even sometimes end up taking longer than it would have if you had stayed. It’s probably worth paying to get a diagnosis privately if you are stressing about what it might be, but that will of course need to include tests

I’m pretty sure the consultant could get you on the nhs list for colonoscopy, yes. But I’d make sure the consultant you see also does NHS work as well as private so that you don’t get bounced back to an NHS consultant?

So some private consultants with do initial tests etc privately and then if they establish a condition and you need surgery they will put you on an nhs waiting list; however, what they won’t and can’t do is listen to you and then say you need x, y tests and we will get those sorted in the nhs

How amenable is your GP? A private consultation may speed things up in terms of getting you on the right waiting lists.

When I saw a private consultant he wrote to my (old) GP recommending various next steps (tests and an appt with a named NHS consultant). The GP referred me for the tests and maxe a call to get me on the waiting list for the particular consultant. I didn't skip any queues, but I did save time (and NHS resources) by getting on the right track.

With my current GP, she'd disregard the private letter and refer me to the department (which actually would have been the wrong one). She won't put in any more effort than she needs to.

We went to a private ENT consultant who then put us to the top of his NHS list. So it cut the waiting time by 16 weeks

I’m shocked by that Whatsmypassword - pretty sure they aren’t supposed to do that!

In a swift turn of events, an appointment was available and I've now seen the private consultant. I still appear to be a medical mystery but he's writing to my GP to recommend particular tests on the NHS. He's not fast-tracking me on any lists but I'll ask one of our nicer GPs to sort that new referral. Thanks again for your guidance.

@WhatsMyPassword they are not allowed to do that. Legal or ethically. If he was found out I would expect them to face disciplinary and also be referred to the GMC.

“Pay me money and I’ll get you to the top of my list in the NHS”. I know people are concerned about the privatisation of the NHS, but we aren’t there yet.

@ToLiveInPeace glad you’ve got somewhere.

That’s good news OP - good luck getting it sorted

My daughter could not get to see an NHS consultant about her tonsils. So we paid £120 to see the consultant privately. He agreed the tonsils needed to come out and said he would do the operation himself but on the NHS. She got an appointment about 6 weeks afterwards.
So you may be able to mix n match the services.

@WhatsMyPassword very unethical to have jumped the queue like that!

Pay for private consultation. He/she should be able to access all your NHS test results if they are NHS also and you consult with them in an NHS hospital. Take all test results with you and have a list of questions. Get him/her to write to your GP with all advice and recommendations. Many private consultants will speak with you before a consultation and sonyou could clarify the process.

Good luck!

Just see ln your update - that’s great news!

Ds saw dermatologist privately, twice when
His eczema was servere and infected and the “GP with special interest” we were referred to on the nhs wasn’t getting anywhere.
Once infection was sorted Consultant then put him in his clinic with nhs patient’a and we were treated like every other nhs patient with tests etc on nhs and follow up at normal intervals. Whether we jumped the wait list for first clinic follow up I am not sure but our consultant considered us a severe enough case to see us regularly. It’s all about getting on their radar at first.

Back in the day you used to be able to mix and match.
Ie my dad had a cardiology consultation private and then his procedure on the NHS a couple of weeks later, essentially having queue jumped. I did the same for a dermatology apt about 15 years ago. Can't really do that nowa days.