Advice needed - private referral back to NHS

Hi Unfortunately that is how it’s done. After suffering severely and getting nowhere I chose to see a private specialist who was head at my local NHS Dermatology. I explained I could only afford the consultation and was not insured and that depending on his diagnosis I would be looking for him to write to my GP suggesting a referral to Dermatology. The consultant stared treating me for which I paid for three private consultations and a couple of prescriptions whilst he referred me onto his NHS list. I have since been through the usual drug routes, had various Biologics and need constant appointments. The cost of the Biologics alone would be prohibitive for 99% of patients privately unless they had insurance. After being told repeatedly by doctors that I didn’t have psoriasis this was the only route open to me. As an honourable person It can feel wrong but for me there was no choice left. Please do not feel bad and remember that with a private appointment you are paying for their time, take every minute of the consultation time and ask all your questions. It is really hard not to feel intimidated but remember you are the customer. Hope this helps you. Good Luck

Hi I also paid to see a private consultant, I had two consultations, on the 2nd one he said I needed light therapy but it was too expensive to have private. So he put me on the NHS waiting list. I asked him if he could bump me up the list, he gave me a lecture on how he wasn't able to do that and I would have to wait. But the strange thing was, 2 weeks later I got my appointment at the dermatology clinic, so think it might be worth asking but be prepared for a lecture. Hope this helps good luck 🤞

If you pay to see a consultant for an intitial consultation, there is no harm in asking if further consultation or treatment might be available via the NHS. They cannot treat you via the NHS unless it is ALLOWED, so asking if it is possible is not something underhand. It might perhaps require you to go back to your GP for a referral to a consultant under the NHS (due to our archaic system in the NHS), but nobody will let you do something not allowed by the NHS system. They know the system, you do not. Just ask politely, good luck.

Well, that was easier than I'd thought! I went in, explained my issues and that I was waiting for NHS referral. The private dermatologist immediately prescribed me systemics and blood tests through the NHS, with an NHS review in a few months. Didn't even need to ask about going through the NHS. Maybe it's the quality of my clothing or something.

Great to hear it. In my experience Private providers and NHS work together. In many cases the practitioner you pay to see privately is also doing several days a week or month for the NHS. A few years ago I paid to have a hip replacement privately, and earlier this year I had an endoscopy and colonoscopy at the local private hospital. In both cases an NHS GP had been happy to refer me - as I could get treated more quickly than waiting for an NHS appointment - but my follow-up was all via the NHS again.

Glad you got back into the system! I did the same with my rheumatologist as my insurance doesn't cover ongoing arthritis treatment, only diagnosis and initial management. She had zero issues. Same with my medication, she asked my GP to continue issuing it and they did it straight away. It was a few months before I got the see the NHS rheumy but worth it as now I don't have you worry about cost.

I think it might depend on your GP. I had one private appt to accelerate things (Community Dermatology had no appts for months and I couldn't walk due to PPP) and the consultant wrote to my GP which enabled her to make necessary referrals/scrips/test requests. But I do have a very good GP who is very invested in my condition - PPP/ACH is a pretty rare combination. I'm now on Acitretin and have PUVA lined up.