Can someone help with talking me through costing for St Thomas

[MJLS]

I'm looking at referring myself or going private. Can anyone give me some advice of how to do this and how much it costs etc?

[bernieembleton]

You will need your GP to refer you. Ask them to refer you to Prof Kamashta. The cost may vary, but you could ring the hospital and ask to speak to his secretary to get a quote on the cost. Hope you go on ok.

[Hidden]

Tommies and Guys (there is a great new Haematology wing at Guys - ask to see Prof Beverley Hunt or Dr Karen Breen) are NHS so you can only be referred by your GP. Referrals are possible but your GP will probably have to fight the PCT to get you there so they would need a strong case.

If you want to go privately, then the only place I know of currently is the London Lupus Centre. Not sure of the exact costs but there are other patients on here who go there so they may be able to help you. Failing that you could ring and ask the secretaries: 0207 234 2155. The main things I have been warned about it is just to pay for a consultation and don't let them takes bloods or even weight you as the costs can be astronomical!

[SueLovett]

The Consultation at LB is about £195. If you have bloods etc. taken then it costs about £550.

The secretaries are really helpful and friendly and will talk you through the charges, it is worth giving them a ring.

Hope this helps

[KJay]

As mentioned, St Thomas' is NHS so you would need your GP to refer you. You can still see Professors Khamashta, D'Cruz and Hughes privately at London Bridge Hospital as someone else mentioned.

You have every right to be referred to the hospital of your choice. I live in Gloucestershire and my doctor had no hesitation in referring me to St Thomas'. Gloucester Royal is dreadful (I could write a book on my experience there) and why should you have to put up with bad treatment just because you don't happen to live in the part of the country where the best hospitals are i.e. London! It's scandalous and makes me so cross!

You may find though at St Thomas' that you do get referred back after your initial consultation. I was going to be referred back. That was until they got the blood test results back and recalled me. I was told I am probably getting RA and could continue with Tommies. Professor D'Cruz said I could continue seeing him but that he wasn't an RA specialist.

My old doctor was fantastic (sadly she left). My new doctor also had no problem referring me to University College Hospital in London to investigage the RA further. UCHL have a page on their website dedicated to telling patients that they have the right to be referred there from anywhere in the country. Print it out and take it along to your doctor if you don't have one who is supportive.

Good luck with whatever you decide x

[Storky]

My GP also had no issues in referring me to St Thomas's. Apparently the criteria is if there is no expertise in that condition locally. In my case I was prescribed plaquenil and as this has to be monitored in a Clinic environment and there was not one locally, St T's was where i have to be monitored.

Not sure if that info can be used to help others as it seems to me that warfarin can be managed locally which is why there is reluctance to refer.

As far as going privately, if you have had recent bloods taken its conceivable that you could have a private consultation and just be charged that fee if you take those results along with you. They do like to do their own blood tests but if its the difference between going and seeing them and not Im sure they would rather you went with your own results. At least they would be able to give you a 99.9% diagnosis or after seeing your test results they may accept them and not want to do anymore of their own. They are very reasonable people and would not force you to do tests for the sake of it.

If you are coming from abroad you only have the choice of going to London Bridge because St Thomas is as said above NHS and not available for referral outside the UK.

Hope thats helpful