“Private GP’s? Aren’t they just used by the rich and famous?”
That’s something we hear a lot when people discover what we do. The reality is that a survey published in May 2022 showed around 7% of UK adults people use private GP practices, that’s a lot more than just the rich and famous. So, if you are new to the idea of a private GP you might be asking yourself what are all these people using private GPs for? Why do they choose a private GP? What does it cost??? Let’s see…..
The more obvious…
Most people are familiar with some things they cannot get via the NHS such as DVLA medicals, assessments to certify somebody is fit to fly/compete/race/parachute jump etc. Traditionally much of this work would have been done by your local NHS GP practice. However, with the ever increasing pressure on them NHS practices are unable to find time to do anything other than deliver NHS services. Hence now it is much more common to seek out a local Private GP practice for these services. However that’s still not the commonest reason people visit our practice
“I want more…”
Many people visit us because they need more of something that they can’t get enough of………
….Time
Many patients first visit us because they really value having more time with our GPs. Our standard face to face consultations in Banbury are 30 minutes allowing more time to understand listen, understand and discuss a patient’s concerns. Being rushed through a 10 or 12 minute consultation when you know it could be a long time before you get to see a doctor again can be stressful and frustrating. All the GPs I have ever met will tell you that they really dislike rushing patients and feel the same emotions – Certainly they didn’t choose a medical career to rush around trying their best buried within an impossibly frenetic list of appointments. More time is also directly linked to the next “more” on the wishlist….
…..Understanding
Many patients report leaving a consultation with a GP or other healthcare professional with questions unanswered or confused about what has been explained to them. We explored this in another post. The three basic ingredients to help understanding are:
1 – Being face to face with your GP
2 – Longer consultations of up to 30 minutes
3 – Being sent a copy of the consultation notes, including main points in plain English after the consultation
….Continuity
Research shows patients are much more likely to feel satisfied with outcomes of a consultation or series of consultations if they see the same doctor. The traditional idea of the local GP who knows you and your family has been all but destroyed by the well meant but misguided efforts by successive governments to create more access to health care professionals.
At OxMed Private General Practice we work hard to make sure you see the doctor you wish to see so you can get to know them and they can get to know you and your personal health situation.
What does all this cost?
The vast majority of our patients book our “up to 30 minute, face to face consultation”. The consultation fee includes the issuing of any prescriptions needed during a consultation and/or any administration required if you need to be referred to a specialist. At the time of writing the standard consultation fee is £160. You can find the current costs of our most common fees here.
Being transparent about costs
From the outset we wanted to avoid having a headline grabbing super cheap price for a consultation to attract clients in who then find that actually they need to pay for several extras which they hadn’t been informed about (anybody thinking of any airlines at this point?). If you need to know more about the likely costs then we will always take the time to go through this with you. Likewise if you use our choose and book online service then you will always see the cost of the consultation as you are selecting your appointment.
Is a Private GP for me?
We see people from a wide range of ages, backgrounds and personal circumstances. Some people use the practice for all of their GP needs, others come to us for a specific thing (Certificate to say you can jump out an airplane for charity anyone?) and others just dip in when they wish to.
So if you are considering using a private GP please get in touch and we would be happy to speak to you
OxMed Private General Practice 