It is important always to get high-quality care, especially when you’re spending a lot or paying for private insurance to see a private consultant. However, most people do not know how to identify a good private consultant offering adequate healthcare services.
The following tips can help you identify a good private consultant.
Check their registration and qualification
A consultant should have the necessary qualifications to practice and be a member of the appropriate associations. You need to confirm where the consultant received training and their qualifications. You can also check for additional training and continued professional development, especially in their field.
All practising doctors are registered with the General Medical Council, and a surgeon should be a member of the Royal College of surgeons. You can find this information about your private consultant on the organisation’s website.
A cosmetic surgeon should also be a member of The British Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic surgeons or The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.
You can also check different specialist associations like the British Orthopaedic Association, The Institute of Urology and Nephrology, and the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.
Check the consultant’s experience
Treating more patients or carryingout more surgeries does not guarantee a consultant is better but means that the consultant has more experience in carrying out a procedure. Most people believe that a good doctor would be more popular and receive more recommendations from GPs.
Check the consultant’s reputation
Ensure you ask family and friends who may have received treatment from the private consultant about their experiences. Those who have had bad experiences with a doctor will inform you. You can also ask nurses and doctors, including your GP, what they think about a consultant.
You can also check online for information about the hospital, as most private hospitals publish individual surgeons’ infection rate, surgical outcome and other important data. You could ask the hospital for this data if they did not publish it.
Ask the consultant
You can ask the private consultant about their suitability to treat your condition, experience and success rate for the procedure and how the rate compares to the national average. You can also ask the consultant if they have carried out any research or made publications on their area of specialisation.
Some people also request to see recommendations from the consultant’s previous patients and complaints, if any.
Ask the private medical insurance company
Medical insurance companies have enough experience working with private medical practitioners, so you can ask them about a private consultant you want to see. Most insurance companies recommend consultants for their clients. The insurance company will likely recommend good private practitioners because their reputation will be at stake.
If you are residing in London, need a recommendation for a good private consultant, you can visit this website or call on 020 7183 2792 for booking an appointment to see a private GP or speak to one. The private clinic offers a wide range of services, including same-day treatments, private prescriptions, regular health screening, blood tests, sick notes, and referrals.
