How do I find a private doctor, then?

[NotQuiteCockney]

I have an annoying eye thing going on, and I want it fixed. I have an NHS appt for Nov 20th, but would happily pay to speed things up.

My GP will give me a letter, but has nobody to recommend.

I want an opthalmologist, in London, ideally someone who does stuff to do with tear ducts, but I think it's a pretty standard problem, and any opthalmologist would do.

here's a link for the private page at Moorfields, click on the rapid access bit, you can usually get an appt within 48 hrs. you could also ring the nhs hospital up and tell them you can do a cancellation at short notice, my mum did and got bumped up alot

you can join my annoying eye hting

the bupa website has a list of the hospitals nationwide. if you pick a hospital from the website, you can then find the list of the consultants working there and if they have one that does eye stuff

There's a private hospital nearby, but ... well, here is the webpage for opthalmologists. No names! Just lists of specialisms!

What's your annoying eye thing, cod? (My left eye doesn't drain properly. It drains a bit, and some days it drains fine. Other days, I just cry, constantly, on the left side. It's horrid, and the skin around that eye is hurting from the salt.)

I'd rather be at Moorfields, though, will look at your link, bundle.

I did mention the cancellation thing, but the people on the appointment line seemed to have no clue. I might try ringing the opthalmology department instead ... because I could do a cancellation reasonably easily.

I also think there is a website called Dr Foster that also gives you specialists and where they operate etc

Oh, god, 48 hours. That would be great ... I wonder if I need a gp letter for that. The problem is really fecking trivial, but has been going on for months, and I'm just sick of it.

Actually, I don't think I have time to go in the next 48 hours.

I've interviewed a few of them NQC and they've all been really nice. have also attended A&E there, it's terrific (but make sure you go early if you can as the wait then is pretty short - had taken my knitting and never even got to do any!) and it's a real centre of excellence, world-renowned.

specialistinfo.com used to have names on it - now you have to pay a subscription (I used to use it for work)

i doubt any of them would specialise in the area you mention - but they'd all have good knowledge of the problem. my mum had that too - i don't know that it was ever satisfactorily resolved

I've interviewed a few of them NQC and they've all been really nice. have also attended A&E there, it's terrific (but make sure you go early if you can as the wait then is pretty short - had taken my knitting and never even got to do any!) and it's a real centre of excellence, world-renowned.

specialistinfo.com used to have names on it - now you have to pay a subscription (I used to use it for work)

i doubt any of them would specialise in the area you mention - but they'd all have good knowledge of the problem. my mum had that too - i don't know that it was ever satisfactorily resolved

ooer. sorry for double post.

ring amy sprout and see what she says re: letter (you do usually need one for a referral)

Well, I could do the whole thing next week - book it Monday, go Tuesday or Wednesday.

My problem is very intermittent, I know it is normal in old people (and babies) but it is weird in someone my age. It might be an infection, it might be a blockage, in which case yes, I think I do want them to use a probe and sort it bloody well out because it's winding me up.

When I went private I went to GP who referred me on NHS to a 14 mth waiting list, I asked GP who she had referred me to and the called his secretary to get his private secretarys number and saw him on his next private day - 10 days I think as we had to wait for the results of some blood tests.

Ok, I phoned. I don't need a doctor's letter. And I could go tomorrow at 10am. Only, then I found out, the bloody clinic isn't at the hospital, it's near Harley Street. Which means I can't do 10am tomorrow.

They have a Friday afternoon clinic at the hospital, but I can't make this Friday because I'm away.