Private Care

Private Medical Consultations

Patient information

Guidance for NHS patients

In March 2009, the Department of Health published guidance for NHS patients who wish to pay for additional private care. The guidance includes the key points below:

• your NHS care will continue to be free of charge
• you can’t be asked to pay towards your NHS care, except where legislation allows charges, such as prescription charges

• the NHS cannot pay for or subsidise your privately funded care
• your privately funded care must be given separately, at a different time and place from your NHS care

Privately funded care

If you choose additional privately funded care, whether in the UK or abroad, you are expected to pay the full cost of any treatment (including medication) in relation to the package of care provided privately (including non-emergency complications). Whilst you are undertaking private treatment, prescriptions and associated care, blood tests, etc will be undertaken privately. We are unable to ‘mix and match’ NHS and private care.

Can I request to continue treatment through the NHS?

If you ask your GP to take over prescribing of a medication or treatment started by a private doctor, they will need to be satisfied that prescribing is appropriate, responsible and what they would prescribe for other NHS patients with the same diagnosis / condition.

Your GP will not prescribe the medication suggested by a private doctor in the following circumstances:

• The medication is not prescribed on the NHS.
• The use of the medication is not compatible with national or local prescribing guidelines.
• The medication is not licensed in the UK or is being used for a purpose not included in its UK licence.
• The GP does not believe the medication is appropriate or necessary for you.

If your GP is unable to prescribe the medication suggested by the private doctor, they may give you the option of having a different but equally effective medication prescribed on the NHS.

Alternatively, if you prefer, you can pay for your private prescription through your private doctor. This will not affect any other medications, which are currently prescribed for you by your GP

Shared Care

Some conditions and medications require specific monitoring and specialist oversight long term. This requires the GP to have continual open communication with the specialist. In accordance with the NHS constitution, this is not permissible as NHS and private care cannot be separated.

In this case, we would be happy to offer a referral to an NHS specialist who will initiate shared care arrangements with us as appropriate. This will be subject to the usual NHS waiting times.

Where can I get more information?

For more information, please see the following:

The NHS constitution https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-nhs-constitution-for-england/the-nhs-constitution-for-england

Dept of Health: Guidance on NHS patients who wish to pay for additional private care https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/404423/patients-add-priv-care.pdf