London Private GP Service

Turning to private healthcare can be hugely helpful, especially as many people face delays in getting appointments at an NHS GP surgery. That’s usually the case if you need to see a doctor for something that may not be urgent, like a sick note. 

Seeing a GP at London City Healthcare will also mean you have greater choice if you need specialist care or support after seeing the doctor.

Making an appointment is very easy and can be done online using our booking system, or by calling 02072363334 during normal office hours.

Can I book a video consultation?

Yes, we’re pleased to provide remote video consultations, thanks to COVID-19 making it a necessity. However, we wouldn’t usually recommend video consultation as being routinely appropriate for first-time patients presenting with a condition about which we have no history.

Whilst video consultations can be very helpful if you’re on a cruise ship or an oil rig, we think they are a poor alternative to a face-to-face consultation, if you have easy access to a GP in person. Diagnosing problems remotely is harder to do and involves more risk, for the patient and the doctor. Even though the technology is improving it’s very difficult to do a full examination by phone or video.

For example, using a stethoscope can differentiate between the need to provide antibiotics or not (and given antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to health we take prescribing safely very seriously). It can even identify heart failure – which isn’t easy to do during an online consultation.

Although we understand that many patients find remote services helpful, especially as an alternative to travelling to see a doctor at the moment, it’s well worth considering the balance between accessibility and the quality of care available.

It’s also often very difficult to obtain a good degree of continuity of care with online services, so you may find you need to explain your medical history many times. That may not be the best use of your time and money. We’re pleased to let you choose which doctor you’d like to see in advance, so you can be assured of a good standard of continuity in your care.

When choosing a GP, we’d always recommend making sure they’re a registered with the General Medical Council. It’s also worth checking the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) latest assessment of their premises (there are links below) as not every medical provider in the City is registered with the CQC. 

Because the CQC assess medical practices as being safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led, checking the CQC registration status is a key step towards assessing the quality of the service you are using.

Visiting a private doctor

We’re always pleased to provide detailed quotations in writing as part of your care plan, before commencing any treatment. Although it’s sometimes difficult to know what care may be required, unless you already have a diagnosis, a private GP that doesn’t wish to provide a quote or treatment plan in writing should set some alarm bells ringing. Most good doctors should be happy to do so.

Private medical insurance

Private GP services are not always covered by medical insurance, so it’s worth checking to confirm whether you are covered to see a doctor of your own choosing.

If you are covered and you are intending to use private medical insurance to cover any costs, you should always confirm if there is any excess payable on your policy. This is especially important because doctors may need to request diagnostic tests, such as blood tests or scans, which can often be expensive.

Medical insurance companies are usually very helpful and they’ll be happy to answers any questions you may have. It’s worth checking if there is likely to be a difference in the amount they’ll pay towards your care and the likely cost of treatment. If there is, it’s often called “a shortfall” and it can be very expensive.

Other sources of information

Any doctor practising in the UK must be registered with the General Medical Council. You can check a doctors’ registration using this link.

The Care Quality Commission operates a very thorough inspection and audit programme for NHS and private doctors in the UK. You can find the latest report for any clinic or care provider using this link.