How do I get private medical care for DD?

[UserTwice]

Sick of waiting for the NHS and seeing DD in constant pain (yes, I know there's a pandemic), I'm thinking the way forward might be private medical care.

I've never used private medical care so no idea how to access it. Do I need to be referred? Can I just find a private medical clinic and book an appointment?

The latter. Pick a consultant or private GP you wish to see, call up the Secretary and make an appointment.

No, you don't have to be referred; many consultants accept self-referrals.

Ah thank you.

Is it a problem to mix and match NHS and private care? For example, DD is currently having physiotherapy under the NHS (this is stopping her condition getting any worse) and ideally I'd like her to continue having this even if she was getting other treatment privately.

Sorry for all the naive questions!

It's totally fine. We have used private consultants for gynae, bowel issues, dentist requiring general anaesthetic. Just rang the local big private hospital and they booked us in with a consultant

It depends what you need, some require a GP referral (they should be able to do this electronically) and other things don't. Just ring the enquiries at your local hospital and they should be able to advise. Don't underestimate the costs you're getting into though!

What kind of pain is it? I know the private hospitals in my city don't deal with children, but you might be able to have a private appointment at an NHS hospital.

You'll pay for an initial assessment and then it can mount up - scans, X-ray etc etc

You may need a referral letter from gp or possibly self refer. Some providers offer payg , others you pay a monthly amount and use as and when. You may find a consultant works in both nhs and private sectors which could be useful to get an assessment quickly then potentially Nhs treatment. There is usually an excess applied to fees and some may only part cover tests or have annual caps.

@hopeishere

You'll pay for an initial assessment and then it can mount up - scans, X-ray etc etc

We got a referral to a private consultant for DH a few years ago. Paid the initial fee and the consultant sent him for NHS X-rays and blood test. Then we paid for a second appointment where he got the results. We paid for one more follow up, which was optional, she said we would be fine to see the GP at that stage of the medication she prescribed was working out.

They were really helpful when they realised we were self funding rather then insured.

My GP can now just send a letter to the Spire we have insurance, this has only been allowed recently in Wales she said. Google BUPA or the Spire see which clinics are near you a lot of consultants work for both. Find the right consultant for the condition and off you go.

It depends very much on what care you are trying to access. Less places offer private care for children (but it does depend on the condition, some are popular). Private care has also been disrupted by covid. Some need a referral, some don’t. If you’re not sure where to go it might be worth asking your GP for advice on (they may or may not be able to help though). As far as mixing private and NHS the example you give would be fine. However what isn’t allowed is to start private treatment and then expect the NHS to continue that treatment course. So for example you can’t have one consultation and then be put straight on the NHS waiting list for an op because that wouldn’t be fair, if the consultant prescribed a medication the GP isn’t expected to pick up the continued prescriptions. It really does depend on how popular the service you want is. If it’s a one off type thing, like a diagnosis or an operation private can work well. If it’s an ongoing condition it can be very expensive

We paid around £270 for each initial appointment for a specialist consultant for our DCs. It was so worth it.

I just rang the largest private hospital near us and asked which specialist deal with the condition. The secretaries were very useful in sorting out which we should look at and then we read their information and sent a introductory email.

I'm not sure if we have been amazingly lucky but on each occasion we have met the right person and helped out dcs.

The cost of the consultation and follow ups are one thing but x rays, blood tests, scans etc are really expensive. It works for a one off but for ongoing the costs will mount up. Get the consultant to send the report to your GP and any medication can then be prescribed on the NHS. An above poster said you can’t do this. You can. We have done it many times.
The consultant will not transfer you onto their NHS list even if they practice in both. You cannot jump the queue.

However what isn’t allowed is to start private treatment and then expect the NHS to continue that treatment course.

This is incorrect. You absolutely can do this. You can also go back and forward as we did. Consultations were private and blood tests and X-rays were NHS.

Yes. I saw someone privately but they now see me in the NHS.

@lazymum99

The cost of the consultation and follow ups are one thing but x rays, blood tests, scans etc are really expensive. It works for a one off but for ongoing the costs will mount up. Get the consultant to send the report to your GP and any medication can then be prescribed on the NHS. An above poster said you can’t do this. You can. We have done it many times. The consultant will not transfer you onto their NHS list even if they practice in both. You cannot jump the queue.

If you look at the NHS terms of service no you can’t as a right. Actually if a consultant prescribed a drug and they were NHS you GP isn’t under an obligation to pick up the prescribing either. Same with x-rays etc. It’s discretionary, if it’s part of usual NHS care they may pick it up but there’s no obligation. If it’s a drug or test you wouldn’t usually get on the NHS they won’t. If you go private you should presume all costs will be private. If you would have got NHS blood tests, physio etc anyway you’ll still get them

The consultant DD has just been referred to also has a private practice so I was thinking of asking to see him privately as at least we know he is the right person iyswim. But if we keep her NHS appointment with him possibly he can start her treatment privately and than continue on the NHS (depending on what it is?). We are worried about costs, but DD has been suffering now for 16 months and is finding it increasingly hard to cope, and we have no indication of how long it will take under the NHS (thus far it's been mostly a series of being shuffled from appointment to appointment with months in between them and not much actually being done ).

Thanks for the information - at least I know that ringing up and asking isn't a totally stupid thing to do!

In that case I would definitely speak to the private practice, find out what the score is. Just ring them directly. They may say you need an initial consultation to discuss what you’re aiming for

@rainbowthoughts

However what isn’t allowed is to start private treatment and then expect the NHS to continue that treatment course.

This is incorrect. You absolutely can do this. You can also go back and forward as we did. Consultations were private and blood tests and X-rays were NHS.

Happens here, you do some private but then the NHS takes over. Ditto drugs if the consultant prescribes X my consultant warned me let me know if they get awkward I will lower the boom and they will then be able to carry on prescribing X. It is NICE not your gp who is at fault here.

But if we keep her NHS appointment with him possibly he can start her treatment privately and than continue on the NHS
Don't count on this. It used to happen quite easily, not anymore. Private consultant are not allowed to refer their private patients directly onto their NHS lists. They don't control their lists any longer and therefore have no say.

This neans often having to go back to the GP for a referral. They are also not systematically able to access their NHS notes to support their private care and vice versa due to GDPR so you could be made to have the same tests repeated.

Don't also assume that you could get a quick appointment. I was hoping to see a consultant privately last week but the wait was still 4 weeks.

You are better off working with your nhs consultant. What is the hold up? Are you waiting for a diagnostic? Treatment? A referral to a specialist centre?

@justasking111, this happens less and less often now. Your consultant could be doing it against the terms contract and could therefore end at any time. Or the hospital us not following it's own rules and that could also stop at anytime. It's unlawful for private patients to get preferential treatment, ie. jumping the queue. There are clear guidance to that effect.

I certainly would be we rely on this happening.

I second what dontdisturbmenow says.
I saw a private consultant in a large NHS hospital. I needed to continue with treatment but the insurers would not so wanted to switch onto NHS.
I had to get a referral from my GP and wait. This consultant also worked in the nhs clinic at the same hospital. But he could not put me on his list.
I also had to get the notes from his secretary so I had them to give when I finally got my appointment in the nhs section.

Don't also assume that you could get a quick appointment. I was hoping to see a consultant privately last week but the wait was still 4 weeks.

That would be significantly better than the 4 months for an NHS appointment.

You are better off working with your nhs consultant. What is the hold up? Are you waiting for a diagnostic? Treatment? A referral to a specialist centre?

The hold up is that the NHS is overloaded and "hoping it gets better" seems to be their preferred approach as it takes pressure off them. Appointments are box ticking exercises. Covid is blamed.
After waiting 8 months to see anyone (they only agreed to see her then because we'd paid for a private MRI scan) the consultant suggested a treatment. The NHS then "lost" her (they've admitted this) so she waited 2 months longer than she should have for said treatment. Unfortunately the treatment didn't work but she waited 4 months for a follow on appointment, at which the consultant basically said he didn't know what to do with her and would refer her to someone else. Only because she's had an appointment, she's now back at the end of the queue waiting another nearly 4 months.

I would dearly love to work with my NHS consultant, if only it were possible to see him.

Meanwhile DD can't walk for more than 5 minutes at a time so scarcely leaves the house. School have put in place provision to minimise walking, but a day at school is extremely hard work for her, and by the end of a week she basically collapses. I genuinely don't know if she will be able to stay in school - after 3 weeks last term she desperately needed to properly rest. But then I'll be left with a child that really can't do anything.

She's put up with it for over a year, I have no confidence that anything will speed up. I hate seeing my child in pain every day.