Private GP, why? And have you used one?

[MorrisZapp]

On sleeping pill or fear of flying threads there's often advice to get a prescription from a private GP if the NHS won't cough up the goods.

Is a private GP able to prescribe outside NHS guidelines? I'd love some hefty temazepam for flying but no NHS GP will do this any more. Would a private GP be more likely to, or would I waste a consultation fee only to be told that its no longer advisable to use temazepam this way and that I should focus on breathing etc?

Lastly, I'm in Scotland where we don't pay for our prescriptions. Would I have to pay for the medicine if it was privately prescribed?

Yes a private GP can prescribe outside NHS guidelines but that doesn’t mean that they will. If they don’t think a medication is appropriate or in your best interests they will refuse.

If you do get a private prescription you will have to pay the cost of the drug.

We use a private GP if we need to see one while at work; we generally prefer not to take the time away from the office (and put up with the wait) from our NHS one.

A couple of differences in my experience is that I’m taken more seriously at the private one (no-one’s just going in for a chat and a moan at £100 for a fifteen minute appointment) and they are happy to discuss all the options for treatment and take your preferences into account.

My husband had an ear infection a few years back that stopped him flying back from a work trip (we were living abroad, he was on a trip to the UK) and the private GP asked him, in effect, if he wanted the highest dose of the strongest treatment, to allow him back in the air in a couple of days or whether he wanted a milder approach which would take longer but at much lower risk if puking and shitting everywhere. The NHS woukd have started him on the mist gentle one by default

I don't know if it's different but we are in Scotland my Mum sees a private consultant and doesn't pay for anything he prescribes.

Also we used a private GP to get DS the Meningitis Jab before it was introduced as part of normal childhood vaccinations.

We have a private gp service through work. Covered by our medical insurance (2 different employers but very similar so similar benefits). We have to pay for prescriptions only, not the appointment.

I have been lucky that over the years my nhs gps have been mostly excellent and happily referred me to private consultants where I've asked (I sometimes do because in my head, if my work pay for this, I am taking pressure out of the system. Not sure this argument stands up though!). I have used GP for:

Emergency prescription for my Pill when moving house and between surgeries.

When I had a lot of sick days due to a viral thing. My gp at the time was very dismissive and I got a lot of pressure from my then boss to 'sort it'. Private gp ran more blood tests than my nhs gp did but that was it. But to work it looked like I was doing something.

Gateway to physio referral for my dodgy knee. Scheme changed so you can self refer directly now.

The only time it has been mega useful is when I had some weird episodes which my gp decided were panic attacks. I was not at all convinced as they were so odd and when I did research they were in fact indicative of epilepsy. My GP point blank refused to consider anything else. The private GP listened and agreed it didn't sound like panic attacks and neither did the neurologist he referred me to.

Friends have used in similar circumstances where GP has either not engaged or been restricted to nhs protocol.

Never used a private GP, but.just wanted to comment on taking Temazepam to fly…The NHS used to use this as a sleeping tablet, but is much less common now. Airlines won’t be happy if you’re drugged to sleep, as it affects safety in emergency situations.

He might be working under NHS for consultation but not for prescription, I have had a few consultants that also had a private practice.

You can get those online GPS through pharmacy's I think Lloyd's and right medicine have them, yes you probably will have to pay the private prescription which I think is £15

That's really helpful, thanks. Temazepam doesn't make me sleep on airplanes, nothing does. It calms me enough to be able to fly without having a panic attack.

I hope you manage to get something sorted and have a lovely holiday.

Quite frankly when flying I need to be conked out and will make sure that I am. I am a much happier flyer when the journey is not something I experience.
Emergency situations on planes are a very rare occurrence so don't see why I should spend the flight feeling awful just in case a very rare scenario happens.