Private Referrals
We understand that some patients choose to access healthcare through private medical insurance or self-funded private healthcare services. In many cases, private consultants, hospitals, or insurance providers will request a referral letter from your GP before arranging an appointment.
Our clinicians are happy to provide private referral letters where clinically appropriate. However, a referral can only be completed once you have discussed your condition with one of our GPs and they are satisfied that a referral is appropriate. We are unable to provide referral letters solely on request without a clinical assessment.
For this reason, we strongly recommend that patients obtain a referral letter from the practice before booking a private appointment. Our secrearial staff are not clinical and therefore cannot write a referral letter based solely on your request and information you provide.
Important Information About Private Referrals
The practice manages a large volume of urgent clinical work, including urgent NHS referrals and other patient care requirements, which must take precedence where appropriate.Private Medication Requests
Please allow adequate time for referral letters to be prepared and processed. Our average wait time for non-urgent works is 5-7 working days, but please note this does fluctuate.
Private referrals are subject to clinical assessment by a GP before a referral letter can be provided.
Patients should arrange a consultation with a GP before requesting a private referral letter.
We recommend obtaining a referral letter before booking a private appointment to avoid delays or complications with your chosen provider. A patient booking an appointment before obtaining a letter is not adequate reason to expedite a letter as urgent.
Private referral requests do not take priority over NHS referrals.
Private Medication Requests
Some private healthcare providers may start you on a new medication as part of your treatment. Please be aware that this does not automatically mean your GP practice can continue prescribing the medication.
- Your private provider is responsible for prescribing and monitoring any medication they initiate until your treatment is stable.
- We will not issue further prescriptions for a medication started privately until a shared care agreement has been requested by your specialist and formally agreed by the practice.
- Any blood tests, monitoring, or follow-up required for the medication remain the responsibility of your private provider unless alternative arrangements have been agreed.
- We are unable to arrange or undertake blood tests solely on behalf of a private provider.
- Our GPs follow Derbyshire prescribing guidance and may not be able to take over prescribing of all medications initiated by private specialists, even where a shared care request has been made.
If you have any questions about your medication or prescribing arrangements, please discuss these with your private specialist in the first instance.
Requests are processed in the order they are received unless there is an overriding clinical reason for prioritisation.