How to get started
If you’d like to explore your options for treatment, please read the below information carefully. You can
Do you need a referral?
You can access private healthcare without a referral. However, some private insurance policies require a patient referral for coverage. Your NHS or private GP can write a referral letter on your behalf to a consultant of your choice. Alternatively, your breast surgeon or oncologist can make a referral.
If you have private health insurance, you should first check with the company that the referral is covered by your health insurance policy and obtain an authorisation number from them. With private health insurance, sometimes an appointment is arranged with a consultant directly through your insurer.
You can also self-refer and contact the private hospital / consultant directly yourself to arrange an appointment.
How your NHS care works alongside private treatment
If you have private health insurance, you can choose whether to opt for NHS care, private healthcare or use both health systems.
There are often long waiting lists for surgery on the NHS, to be able to have surgery quicker you may decide to use your private health insurance or self-pay. Some cancer treatments can be very expensive, and may not be covered by all health insurance policies. You may therefore have some aspects of treatment on the NHS (e.g. chemotherapy or radiotherapy) but choose to have others using your private health insurance or self-funded (e.g. surgery).
It is not allowed under NHS rules to “co-fund” NHS and private healthcare for a single episode of care. For example, if something is not routinely available on the NHS, the patient cannot pay for the treatment/item that is not available on the NHS whilst having the surgery/treatment on the NHS; as it will not be possible to separate the private element from the NHS element of care.
Paying for your treatment
Using your medical insurance
After the initial appointment, the consultant will write to your GP and the referrer to update them. The hospital / consultant can provide a quote for inpatient treatment as a fixed or all-inclusive price which will include fees to the consultant and anaesthetist, follow-up appointments and any outpatient treatment that may be required.
The private health insurance company will pay the invoice in full, except for any excess / short fall on the policy that is due to be paid by you.
Some patients may be sponsored by a third party such as their employer or their home country’s government or embassy, in which case the third party will pay the invoice.
How to book
- Browse our consultants and clinics and choose who might be right for you
- Contact their medical secretary, who will guide you through all the details for booking an initial consultation
- You may also want to contact your insurance company to get authorisation for a consultation
Paying for yourself
If you are self-funding, you will be asked to pay the initial consultation fee directly to your consultant. The fixed or all-inclusive price for the total treatment will usually need to be paid in full before admission.
How to book
- Browse our consultants and clinics and choose who might be right for you
- Contact their medical secretary, who will guide you through all the details for booking an initial consultation
Choosing a clinic
You can choose to see one of our expert consultants at the clinic most convenient to you. Not all consultants work at all locations, so take some time to browse through our locations and each consultant’s profile to help you make a decision.
Meet our consultants
