Where does one go about finding where to go to for a private CT scan?
How does this then get back / integrate with the GP and consultant?
How much might it cost?
(For reference - there is a referral, but NHS is massively backed up/slow)
Ring up your local private hospital eg Nuffield / Spire / Bupa etc.
My shoulder MRI was a few £100, maybe £500 with two consulant meetings (one before and one after).
Yup, its really as simple as that ^ If you have a hospital in mind, find out who runs it and give their customer services people a ring.
Julie had one done at spire - couple of hundred pounds
And they then share data/images with NHS consultant and GP?
And they then share data/images with NHS consultant and GP?
You get a CD of your MRI and a letter with the summary etc so you can then take it to anyone else.
No idea if they sent it to my GP (they had the details).
Thanks
Yup. Expect a bit of a whirlwind (compared to the NHS). e.g. phone now > "we can get you in for a consultation tomorrow" > CT scan 2 days later > details sent to GP about 24 hrs later (or possibly to you to hand to the GP) > fin.
Depending on what it's for, they may want a referral letter from your gp. The gp amin will probable complain a little but it won't be an issue.
Worth asking the hospital what their email address is as the gp should be able to email direct.
The private hospital website normally has a list of all the consultants and what they do etc...
eg I ride with Claire most Saturdays, you can see her services
When I've had MRI though insurance the cost has been about 1000 quid - not sure if it would have been cheaper if I'd been paying from my own pocket.
Yup. Expect a bit of a whirlwind (compared to the NHS). e.g. phone now > “we can get you in for a consultation tomorrow” > CT scan 2 days later > details sent to GP about 24 hrs later (or possibly to you to hand to the GP) > fin.
Yes, very quick - although to be fair to the NHS my wife had a dodgy looking mole on her back which I made her phone the GP about. Within a week she was at the local hospital having it removed. Pathology results on the mole the next week (cancerous), more surgery the week after and monthly follow up meetings ever since. All in the middle of the pandemic. Very impressive. Luckily caught in time, so no spread and two sets of surgery to remove all surrounding tissue just in case they missed something.
You'll probably find your GP will prefer to refer you to a consultant, who will then request the scan.
As GPs it's not ideal to recieve a scan/MRI for which we're not experts in either interpereting or acting upon.
I say as much to pateints, and expalin i'll happily refer them for a specialist review, who can then perform a scan that will help THEM decide on teh next steps..
DrP
i rang round a few places and had one in private place in southend. all very good, and it wasnt a lot of money if i remember rightly, 3 or 400 quid maybe. included a consultation with an, er consultant. all good
As DrP says, you probably want a consultant rather than a GP to read the scan but you can ask to get the NHS consultant to define what he wants, you go private for the scan and take the CD/transfer your files back to the NHS consultant for review.
If the delay is the actual consultant rather than the CT scan then pay for the consultant too.
X-ray is pretty much done on demand and the CT scans are normally a bit busier but the longest I have waited was a scan on Wednesday for a Monday afternoon request
Like all things in life there are good ones and bad ones ie consultants, and different routes
Personally first I would speak to your GP they will know about your health, and in some cases who to recommend privately....unless you are already in the NHS system and the scan will take time? In that case do pick an consultant with NHS and Private practice so you get continuity of care.
A radiologist always reports a scan, then the specialist consultant delivering care reviews the report and provides care/treatment. I will ask the Mrs if an NHS Consultant can act on the report of private scan. You will still however have to join the que to have the consultation with the consultant in the NHS. It wont bump you up the waiting list unless some acute reason to.
My advice would be private consultation with specialist consultant, consultant refers for scan, consultant advises on treatment ie private or NHS.
A simple scan will be £200-£400.
If you can now basically buy a scan that comes with a report, there is no continuity of care. I guess that depends on you and your condition and whether you are happy to have fragmented care?
As DrP says, you probably want a consultant rather than a GP to read the scan but you can ask to get the NHS consultant to define what he wants, you go private for the scan and take the CD/transfer your files back to the NHS consultant for review.
I think the NHS consultant will politely tell you to piss off at that point.
It is a case of consultant(s) and GP are on it, the delay is the scan. Feedback to doc is that being a lungs issue, and with Cv19 increasing lung cases and delays, it could be months and months. All the consultants and GP want the scan to be able to confirm diagnosis of a suspected issue.
It sounds like you are already under consultant care
In that case I would 100% speak to your consultant (their secretary) and ask where they would recommend you get a scan done privately.
Does your consultant do Private Practice? Just google her/him and you will be able to see
I injured my knee on 16th December, saw the physio at GP centre on the 17th, A&E same day for x-rays. Private physio on 21st December who referred me to Cobalt Health Imaging in Cheltenham on 31st December. Christmas got in the way.
Saw the physio again on 12th January for the report. I had the imaging results back via email before I’d driven home from Cheltenham. Recommended I see a knee specialist, booked for 21st January, had surgery yesterday, 7th February.
Admittedly the MRI, physio, consultant, and surgery was all private, through works health insurance.
The MRI at Cobalt was £345 (in the region of £700 at Nuffield Health) including images and detailed report to private physio, consultant and GP.
It’s very simple just go to the website of your preferred hospital. Costs have gone up a lot expect £500 ish
