First appointment to lupus clinic

[elena87]

Hi, I recently moved from Italy in UK, how can optain the first appointment to st. Thomas Ospital. How long time I must wait for a free visit. And how much private visit costs?

Thanks, sorry for my English.

[PMRpro]

You need to register with a GP first - everything goes via your family doctor. Are you working and paying national Insurance contributions? As far as I know, once you have started working and paying contributions you are entitled to free health care without question. As an EU citizen you are still entitled to the same care as locals but I don't know if they check in any way now.

Or do you mean how long is the waiting time for an NHS appointment? That depends - and so does the cost of seeing someone privately.

This is the website for the Lupus Unit

guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/our-...

and this page tells you how to get referred:

guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/our-...

There is phone number you could call to get more info than the website give.

No need to apologise for your English - it is better than my Italian! I live in Alto Adige - but almost everyone speaks German in my area!

[elena87 in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks a lot for your answer.

Yes I registered to the Gp, but I live outside of London and my doctor told me that he can’t make an appointment for me in London, So I can do the visit with rheumatologist for free only in the near hospital where I live.

I am very unhappy Because in the nearest hospital I can do the first visit in the end of January, the request was made in September.

I am glad for you, I miss a lot my country.

[Paul_Howard Partner LUPUS UK in reply to elena87]

Hi elena87 ,

You have a legal right to choose which hospital you want to be referred to in NHS England. You can read more about this at nhs.uk/nhsengland/aboutnhss.... This means that if you request a referral to Guys & St Thomas' then your GP should honour it.

Unfortunately waiting lists can be quite long for a specialist centre like this, so you may have to wait longer than you would for your current appointment at the end of January. You can try to get an earlier appointment by phoning the consultant's secretary and requesting to be put on a cancellation list.

[PMRpro in reply to elena87]

As Paul says - your GP is wrong, it is a legal right to choose the hospital for your first referral.

Look at the link Paul has given you and show it to your GP. If he won't help - ask to speak to the practice manager or speak to another doctor in the practice.

I'm sure you do miss home - the weather is better here after all. And the food and wine... Where are you from?