If you are thinking about having private treatment, please talk to your GP surgery before you make a decision.
We know it can be frustrating to wait for treatment, or to think about treatments that the NHS doesn’t usually pay for. Some people choose to pay for treatment themselves in the UK or in another country.
We have also provided information for patients considering privately funding ADHD assessments.
Before you decide
Is this provider qualified and safe?
It is really important to make sure that the provider is fully qualified, safe, and will provide you with an acceptable standard of care.
Many private providers are regulated in the same way as the NHS, but not all of them are. This is especially important if you are thinking about treatment outside the UK.
Make sure the provider:
- carries out the right health checks
- gives you support before your treatment or operation
- offers proper follow-up care after treatment
- provides clear information about medication advised and how this will be provided.
Costs
If the NHS would not normally pay for this treatment, you will need to pay for all the costs yourself.
This can include:
- the treatment itself
- follow-up appointments
- treatment for any problems or complications
- medication related to the condition or treatment (particularly if this is specialist medication, or the medication needs a period of adjustment or monitoring).
Some providers offer a package that includes follow-up care. Ask them what is included and what is not.
Follow up
It is important that you are fully aware of the longer-term implications of privately funding elements of your healthcare, including what to expect once you have paid for and received an assessment and/or diagnosis. This includes an understanding of the limitations of cover provided by any private medical insurance and how ongoing supplies of medication should be obtained.
Relevant medication may not be able to be provided by your GP after a private diagnosis.
You may need to travel back to the provider for follow-up appointments. It is very important to consider this if you travel abroad for treatment. Some treatments (such as obesity surgery) need many appointments before treatment and years of follow-up afterwards.
Your GP may not be able to provide this follow-up care. GPs can only offer standard NHS care and cannot replace specialist follow-up. This is especially important to know if you have treatment outside the UK, as healthcare systems work differently.