Can you see a private consultant alongside NHS care?

[Spanieldoglover]

Hi, I wonder if anyone can advise me please.

I was diagnosed with open angle glaucoma almost 2 years ago and at the time was lucky enough to have private health insurance. I have seen the same consultant and have regular checks, had cataracts operations on both eyes, as that was why I was originally referred and SLT on both eyes.

At the moment I am lucky enough for my condition to be stable.

However, my condition is no longer covered by private health insurance, as they don’t cover chronic conditions and my concern is affording any further major treatment such as operations. I was meant to have been referred to an NHS consultant when I was diagnosed but I have never had any contact from anyone in NHS ophthalmology. As I was under medical insurance I didn’t push it at the time.

As long as I possibly can, I want to carry on seeing my private consultant, unfortunately he doesn’t do any work for the NHS, as I trust him and I’ve heard such horror stories on here from people getting different diagnosis from different consultants.

But my question is am I able to go through the NHS at the same time as seeing a consultant privately? I don’t know if anyone may have experience of this? It’s just in case in the future I am told I need further operations as I wouldn’t be able to afford that privately.

Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated.

[Jon1988]

Yes, I do this but the NHS may not like it. Originally I was diagnosed by the NHS and wanted more frequent check ups so I found a good consultant who was also a surgeon and started seeing him privately. He works for the NHS but a different hospital, I ended up switching hospitals to the one he worked in so it was all in one place, I don’t get to see him every time at the NHS because he is the lead, but the other consultants have been good.

You have to do what’s best for yourself and take matters into your own hands, if you can afford private I would stick with that and also get registered under the NHS so you are in the system. I’m not sure if your private doctor can request your NHS records, but it’s worth a chat with him and see what he thinks.

You can sometimes persuade a local options to do your OCT and visual fields as well, and have them send them to your consultant, I did that and it brought the cost down to about £180 per appointment, and that includes the consultants checkup fee, which isn’t bad at all.

[Spanieldoglover in reply to Jon1988]

Thank you. I wish my consultant did work for the NHS as I would definitely do that.

That is a good idea about the OCT and VFT though. The only problem is I’m not sure my consultant would have it because he says their equipment isn’t as good. They didn’t pick up my glaucoma and optic nerve damage. I was sent for cataracts. But I will get myself registered, thank you.

[Reformer]

I don't exactly do this - but I think I could if I needed to and I wouldn't hesitate. I was diagnosed with borderline high eye pressure just before lockdown so an NHS appt was cancelled. I had 2 check ups privately during lockdown with the lead NHS consultant. They were both covered by my work health insurance - but they would only do 2. The consultant said that if I needed to see him again and pay direct to have the visual field test done at a specific local optician and this would reduce the cost. I'm now back in the NHS system tho I do have occasional pressure tests at the optician - but I would certainly go back privately if I wanted and I think my consultant would be absolutely fine with it. Takes the load off the NHS a bit! Good luck!

[Spanieldoglover in reply to Reformer]

Thank you. I think I need to speak to my dr and get myself on the NHS system at least.

[Safehaven23]

Yes - my Consultant said I could do this and even have regular presssure checks at NHS hospital locally rather than travelling to see him. In reality once they found out I was seeing him elsewhere I never got any more appointments from the NHS! However - I have had treatment via the Consultant/s by travelling that I would never have got locally!

[Spanieldoglover in reply to Safehaven23]

Thank you. I think that’s why I probably never heard from the NHS because I am/was being seen privately.