Does anyone use a private GP practice?

[OompaLumpaLabrador]

We have a lovely practice in our village but the ringing around, waiting for call backs and lack of flexibility for appointments is a nightmare. I’ve only been once this year ( for a lump) and was eventually seen face to face, but it took over a week from initial contact, which I don’t think is okay for a possible oncology concern. They are now saying no appointments for four weeks. Hearing the GPs on the Today programme just now makes me question whether it’s going to get any better in the near future and whether NHS GP care is a service that I want to use.

There’s a local pay as you go private surgery and I am considering using them instead (DD and I both need to see someone for something non urgent).

Does anyone use a private GP? I’d be grateful for any experiences or advice, good or bad.

One of the private GPs at our local clinic is a GP who I’ve seen when she was at our NHS practice. You get a 20 minute appointment rather than 10 minutes and they can usually see you that day or the next. It costs £108 which includes prescription, but I think you still pay the NHS charge at chemist. My husband saw a private gp for an ear infection earlier this year. Basically if you can afford it, and want to be seen when you want going private seems to be the only way. Our GP practice has been good, but if you want to be seen, then they send you to access centres up-to 10 miles away and this is only if it’s urgent.

Yes for some things - esp pre Covid when DH couldn’t get to GP during working hours having a Saturday morning clinic was ideal. You get far more time with the doctor , they take a more holistic view generally in my experience and private prescriptions can be cheaper than NHS (you pay the actual cost of the drug). If you can afford it it’s a useful option

Thank you, I'm going to book an appointment this morning.

DH's work have a private GP scheme. It's worth the payments imo, we've have several calls for GP service this last two years and they've all been dealt with quickly efficiently and we only have to pay something like £25 per consultation (initial GP online appts are free) and 15% of any further fees. I had a series of six physio appts and only paid £50 I think.
Well worth it.

Yup.

Me and my children do. In fact, they have never been registered with an nhs GP. We’ve got a really good private practice near us with great GPs, a children’s nurse (used to be an nhs health visitor, so she offers a baby clinic), you can chose who will do baby vaccinations her or the GP.

I have private healthcare which also pays for 6 visits a year with any private GP (or their video calls with a GP are free and unlimited).

They are worth their weight in gold, especially these days. My baby had a few problems and has been seen face to face throughout covid. Long appointments where you aren’t rushed and feel as though you are properly listened to.

I voted with my feet 25 years ago and got insurance and found a private GP i liked.

We are far from well off and make sacrifices to pay for insurance, but I would have been dead now due to incompetence by an NHS GP all those years ago of someone handing loaned me the money to see someone privately.

*20 years ago, sorry.

Yes, and I have never been more grateful to be able to see her.

I use one provided through work and it's a godsend, the NHS one near us is woefully managed by the commercial partnership it belongs to (the actual doctors when you see them are very good).

The private one has its disadvantages - prescriptions are private so sonetimes expensive*, access to medical history/records, and our NHS admin are too lazy to scan in their letters afterwards. However for ease of access and "bedside manner" expectations are far higher and its brilliant. I contacted one yesterday and got in within 2 hours to see them.

*private inhalers are £7 compared to £9.60 on the NHS, via the same pharmacy, so some generic things are actually cheaper than the standard NHS charge.

Thanks so much for replying. It's reassuring to know this is an option. I've tried again to get an NHS appointment and the various hoops and availability requirements to even discuss with a nurse the possibility of making an appointment are impossible with work and family commitments.

I've found a small private practice about half an hour from home and they can see me on the same day. I'm also voting with my feet!

We have it via my DH work. Used it for the first time last week as we needed a referral letter.
Had a huge list of GP’s to choose from and could have had an appointment within 10 minutes if we wanted.
It was via a video link and went really well. 20 min appointment time and a referral letter within 10 minutes.

Certainly a lot better then waiting weeks for a normal GP appointment and that’s if they actually bother to phone you on the day they are supposed to, and then waiting forever for an expensive referral letter.