When you choose to see a private specialist you enter an agreement to become liable for your treatment costs. We want you to have absolute clarity about the fees you will be liable for, and (if you're insured) the process by which the insurer pays on your behalf. Please do therefore ask us if you have any questions about fees or the billing process at any stage. You will be sent a letter outlining fees when you book in to see Mr Granville-Chapman.
Private health insurance is designed to cover, either completely or in part, the costs of private healthcare. The billing process for most insurers is electronic and often dealt with between the specialist's secretary and the insurer directly.
Mr Granville-Chapman is recognised by all the major insurers (BUPA, Aviva, AXA PPP, Exeter, Vitality Health, WPA, Cigna, Healix, SimplyHealth). New insurance companies are formed, and companies sometimes merge, so if you hold a policy with an insurer that Mr Granville-Chapman is not registered with, let us know and we can expedite this to enable you to see him. It is usually a fairly quick process for him to gain recognition with a new insurance company.
Mr Granville-Chapman is 'fee assured', so you will not have to pay any 'gap fees'. However, if your cover is not comprehensive, you will need to fund the excess on your initial consultation fee. This difference will need to be paid to us, as the insurer will not meet that cost. Please check with your insurer in advance to avoid confusion. Insurance companies and policies vary, but a typical 'excess' that you might need to pay would be around £100-200. This is usually only payable for your initial consultation, but you should check with your insurer to avoid confusion.
When you make an appointment, please have your insurance details and policy number to hand as we'll need them. There are many levels of health insurance cover (e.g. treatment and care only; with excess or fully comprehensive). Please confirm your cover arrangements with your insurer.
If you require an intervention or operation, your insurer will need to pre-authorise this. Your insurer will explain this when you contact them, but we can help clarify any queries for you. Do please ensure you have authorisation before proceeding.
Increasingly, patients are choosing to access private health care on a self-pay basis, rather than by maintaining an insurance policy. If you are interested in this approach, we will inform you of our standard initial and follow-up consultation costs. We also tell you the cost for any clinic-based treatments, such as an injection that may be needed. If you require outpatient investigations, procedures or surgery then the hospital will provide a quote for you. Please check with Kate whether the quote includes a follow up consultation after surgery, as this varies between hospitals. We want you to be absolutely clear about the costs involved in treatment, so if you have any doubts, please do check with us and we should be happy to help clarify things for you.
Most private hospitals open their facilities to choose and book NHS patients. If you wish to be seen on these terms at a private hospital, then you need to ask your GP to send the choose and book referral to the hospital you want (e.g. Spire Thames Valley). Your GP can also name the Specialist you wish to see. The contracts that hospitals hold with the NHS vary, so if you would like to have more information about what can be accessed (e.g pre-operative physiotherapy, Ultrasound-guided injections) on a Choose and Book basis, please contact the NHS team at the relevant hospital.
Please remember that, choose and book patients are treated in line with NHS timelines, so there may be a waiting list and your point of contact for administrative enquiries will be with the NHS booking team at the hospital.
We have long tried to avoid charging fees for non-attendance and late clinic appointment cancellations. We understand sometimes there are unforeseen circumstances which preclude clinic attendance. However, at a time when the pressure on the clinics is increasing, with some patients having to wait weeks for a free appointment, we have been experiencing an increase in the number of last-minute cancellations, resulting in numerous wasted clinic appointments. We have thus had to take the decision to impose cancellation and non-attendance fees. Cancellations now made within 48 hours of the appointment time will be charged at 50% of Mr Granville-Chapman's standard consultation fee. Non-attenders will be charged the full consultation fee amount. Please note: Insurers do not cover such fees, so it will be your responsibility to cover such expenses.