PREPARATION FOR YOUR OUTPATIENT CONSULTATION

a. If you wish to arrange a private appointment with us and if you are already consulting your GP for the same condition, kindly arrange for the GP to send us a private referral letter by post or fax. As soon as we receive this letter, we will arrange a mutually convenient appointment.

b. If you are unable to arrange a referral letter from the GP and/or wish to organize the appointment with us soon, we will be happy to accommodate your request.

c. You can fill online appointment request form here (LINK TO BE ATTACHED HERE) or email us on privatepractice@hipkneesurgeon.org.uk. We will endeavour to get it touch with you as soon as possible and arrange the appointment for you.

d. For the referral to be sent by post, the postal address of the hospitals are as follows:

i. BMI The Lancaster Hospital
Meadowside, Lancaster, LA1 3RH
Phone: 01524 62345 (switchboard), 01524597592 (secretary)
08081010337 (National Enquiry Centre)
Fax: 01524380465

ii. Spire Fylde Coast Hospital
St Walburgas Road,
Blackpool, FY3 8BP
Phone: 01253923034 (switchboard),
01253923944 (self pay enquiries)
07875073139 (Jayne Mann – private secretary)
Fax: 01253397946

Once a request for appointment is received (or a written referral received), appointment can be generally arranged within a week in most cases. If you wish to expedite matters further, feel free to contact us using appropriate phone number (as mentioned above) in order to receive an earlier appointment.

a. A written appointment confirming the appointment date and time will be sent to you
b. If the appointment is being organized at a short notice, telephonic confirmation will generally be provided.

You don’t always need an official referral from you GP for private consultation. We will be happy to accept referral letter from other clinicians like physiotherapists, musculo-skeletal practitioners, etc. We can also accept triage letters from your insurance company as a referral. If any of the above cannot be provided and if you wish to be seen directly by us as soon as possible, we will accept self referral and you can book and appointment directly wish us. Following the consultation, if we need any specific medical information, we will be able to liaise with your GP directly.

There is limited number of NHS slots available in private hospitals. If you wish to been seen as an NHS patient in one of the private hospitals mentioned above, kindly arrange your GP to send a NHS referral letter to the address mentioned above. Alternatively, when you receive choose and book paperwork, specifically check a slot for the hospital of your choice.

Once you receive your appointment letter, you will receive appropriate phone number to call, in order to amend your booking.

a. You do not need to bring any specific documentation for your consultation. If your GP has sent us a referral letter, that generally contains comprehensive information regarding your presenting problem, previous medical history, allergies as well as results of any imaging studies already performed.
b. However, if a GP referral has not been sent, it would be useful if you can bring a list of your medications (if any).
c. If you have any additional information (e.g. pain diary, log of events, etc.) that you may wish to discuss during the consultation, you are welcome to bring it along.

a. If you need any specific blood tests or imaging studies like X-rays, we will be able to perform these during your consultation. X-rays will be reviewed and results can be discussed on the same day.
b. If you need specialized tests like MRI scans, CT scans, Bone Density Scan, ultrasound scan or nerve conduction tests this will be organized for a future date. In most cases, these tests can be organized within few days.

a. In most cases, you will be seen at your appointment time. Occasionally, there might be a short delay before you can be seen. Hence, you can expect to be at the hospital for less than an hour (half an hour in majority of cases).
b. If you need X-rays, blood tests or injection therapy, this may add to your time in the hospital.

a. If you need some minor procedure like injection and if it technically feasible and mutually convenient, we should be able to perform that during your consultation. If this is not possible on the same day, a mutually convenient date can be agreed for near future.
b. If you need any other procedure/operation, we will make arrangements for the process to be started during your consultation. In most cases, you will need a pre-operative anaesthetic assessment. The date for procedure/surgery is provisionally agreed between you and the hospital and once pre-operative anaesthetic assessment is successfully completed, the date for surgery is confirmed. Occasionally, if any medical/social issues are picked up during this assessment, they will need to be dealt with prior to surgery.

a. If you have private medical insurance, it is best to inform them prior to the consultation. They would assess your insurance cover and provide you with an authorisation code. It is worth double checking with them, with regards to any excess, any treatment that will not be covered, etc. We deal with most major insurance companies like BUPA, Axa PPP, Aviva, CIGNA, Pru Health, Health Online, Vitality Health, etc. on a regular basis.
b. Once you have authorisation code/number, it can be given to the clinic reception team when you arrive at the hospital. Once, this is done, the process is seamless and you do not need to worry about anything else.
c. During the consultation, if it transpires that you need further tests/treatment/surgery, we will provide you with all appropriate details including procedure code.

a. If you are self paying for your consultation, you will receive an invoice following your consultation and it can be settled in due course.
b. During your consultation, if it transpires that you need further tests/treatment/surgery is deemed appropriate, private patient advisor at the hospital will be able to give you an approximate cost for the same. There are various payment methods

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(to the hospital) available including full upfront payment, interest free payment over a mutually agreed period, etc.

a. Based on your clinical condition and the treatment that has been selected for you, we should be able to provide you with any appropriate information leaflets/booklets. These are often quite useful in order for you to go through important information in your own time and prepare you for the treatment.
b. A synopsis of some common treatments is included within ‘our specialties’ section of this website. You may find this quite useful. There are some information leaflets as well on our website on relevant sections, for you to download and/or print.

a. Following the consultation, if you have any minor queries regarding the treatment, most of these will resolve during your pre-operative anaesthetic assessment or by going through appropriate information leaflets. Any further minor queries can be resolved prior to your surgery/treatment (if appropriate) by having a chat with the surgeon and the anaesthetist.

b. If you have any queries regarding authorisation code/obtaining approval by insurance company, etc. my private secretary should be able to help you. Alternatively, you can email us on privatepractice@hipkneesurgeon.org.uk and we will endeavour to resolve your query ASAP.

c. If there were some major clinical queries, that you forgot to raise during your consultation, it is best to call the hospital or my secretary and book another face-to-face consultation. Occasionally, a telephonic consultation can be booked.