Looking for anyone who has used a private Gp

[dudsville]

I'm so tired of going without very basic basic health care. I can go to A&E or Urgent Care for the important things, but basic things that my pharmacy suggests needs a gp simply go without input. I don't want a big insurance policy. I would just like to pay for a gp appointment from time to time. So I'm looking for recommendations, preferably video or telephone.

We've used The GP Service when DD had horrific tonsilitis and couldn't get an appointment at our local surgery.

Online appointment and honestly I thought they were very good. The doctor went through medical history, symptoms and asked for well lit and close up photos of the throat, temperature etc. Prescribed antibiotics to her local pharmacy. It wasn't cheap, £49 for an appointment but it means that if DD is desperate when she's at Uni then she can at least speak to someone. They have loads of appointments too.

Our local surgery is excellent but this is a good back up option for us.

We now use Bupa GP service.

It’s dead easy. Go on the app, put in the issue, then they send you a video link. Really quick too. I had one yesterday after an accident on Sat. I saw the bill to Bupa and it was about £29 and a I spoke to a Doctor, had a letter sent to my GP and received a sick note within 30 mins. All via my laptop in my living room. No drama.

If it’s not a major illness I’d use this every time. I think it’s the way forward.

Last time I used it I spoke to a nurse. It was for infected athletes foot and she was brilliant. I’ve had the issue for years and she was the first to properly sort it.

We also have my university DC linked up to the app.

I use a private Dr and have been recently . I would say my NHS Dr’s are very good but you can’t get to see them . What they are very bad at is follow up , if you have tests of any sort you never hear from them with the results or future care recommendations.
By contrast my private doctor is fabulous , I have her undivided attention , she is thorough , takes notes , makes recommendations and follows through following tests / medications. Of course your paying though £120 for 2mins but it’s a quality 20mins and there’s no sense of being rushed out the door . It’s Hampshire based .

I have never considered a private GP appointment, it’s a great idea and not as expensive as I would have thought

Thanks all, this is really helpful and encouraging.

@bigbreakfastclub My local surgery used an online private GP during covid and it was brilliant, better than the NHS would ever be able to provide. It's only just dawned on me that I could do this out of my own pocket if a service exists, but I was struggling to find anything via google.

Thanks @Thorinfling for The GP Service, and @PergolaPrincess for the Bupa GP service recommendations. @hattie43 , yours sounds more expensive, but I would still like to know the organisation if you don't mind sharing?

I have 'GP anywhere' through work. It's good most of the time and they will refer you on in the private system very quickly. However, I have a long term health condition and take some controlled drugs which they cannot help me with. I need to see my local GP for this.

I use Bupa GP too. They are much more thorough and the ones I have dealt with were also kinder.

Amazing how good the service can be when you are paying directly and you being able to go elsewhere would impact jobs.

I’ve used DocTap for years. It’s great if you have something quick that you just want a one off appointment for. They have London clinics but also offer online appointments too.

I have access to an online GP and find them excellent for prescriptions. Essentially they do two things 1- make sure you are not about to drop dead to cover themselves and then (if medically allowed) give you what you called for.

They are also great for advice however I don’t see how useful they would be for chronic/longer term conditions.

Have used a couple of private GP providers, one which my work provide and I also had a Simply Health cash back plan, for a monthly fee, from £20 approx, you would get access to GP service 24/7, and if you needed to see a consultant or optician, dentist etc you get money towards your costs. My work now provide BUPA, so I came out of it.

I used drsonline for my adult son a few weeks ago, we had an appointment within the hour, and the much needed antibiotics another 30 mins later.
I would never have considered it but he was really unwell, and had been for five days, and there were no GP appointments available.

Are you able to say which one this is @mcpancreas?

And when you pay for a half hour appointment what your NHS GP gets funded to look after you for a year......

Thanks everyone, lots to choose from here, it's much appreciated.

I suppose that us using them takes pressure off our local GP.

Or, long term will it have a detrimental effect on the NHS? Doctors seem to be becoming the norm.

We have access to “Help at Hand” via DP’s work health insurance. As a secondary person I can access online GP, physio, mental health counseling etc, DP has a wider range of options. I have seen a doctor a few times, for routine things that I would have waited six weeks for an appointment at our surgery - sinus infection, tonsillitis etc. The appointment tends to be quick (you create a profile in the app so they have medical history etc) and then they email through a prescription which can be filled at any pharmacy. I’m in Scotland and prescriptions are free, these cost around £10 - I’ve only had things like amoxicillin - not sure how that compares to a paid fee in England?

They complete notes in the app which are stored there so if you saw a doctor for one thing, then needed a second appointment on it, a different doctor can see the first one’s report. Appointments are 24/7 and you can pick a doctor you like the look of by viewing their profiles, select male/female etc.,

It came unstuck for me a bit last year though. I saw the app doctor (there are many!) about a dodgy mole, which I had uploaded photos of. He said if needed checked by dermatology, and issued a referral to take to my surgery. They wouldn’t accept it, and I had to make an appointment with a doctor there, which was a six week wait, and then it took over six months more to see dermatology. That appointment was last month and actually all fine, but I guess something to be aware of. (DP would have been able to bypass the surgery doctor and go to private derm as the primary policy holder though.)

We’ve use Doctor Care Anywhere through Axa and found them excellent, easy to schedule and thorough. The only downside is having to pay more as the prescriptions are private.

If you live anywhere near Oxford, you could try Mayfield Clinic. They’re a little expensive but very good and thorough. They do online and phone consultations too.