Can I choose to move my treatment from private care to the NHS?

Anyone in the UK who is entitled can opt to have free NHS care.

If you are having treatment privately that is provided on the NHS, you have the right to request to have your care moved from private care to NHS care.

 

Example 1

If your son has been seen privately because of an inguinal hernia and needs surgery then you have the right to ask for this surgery to be done on the NHS.

 

If the care that you are receiving is not provided for on the NHS then you cannot have your care routinely transferred back to the NHS.

 

Example 2

If you had a consultation for your son to have a circumcision for non medical reasons (eg for cultural reasons).  This service is not funnded in the NHS.  Therefore you cannot have the operation performed on the NHS.

Entrance-of-Birmingham-Childrens-Hospital
consultation

How do I move my treatment to the NHS?

If you would like to move your treatment to the NHS then please discuss this when you are seen at your consultation.  Alternatively you can email me or use the Contact form to get in touch.

What happens next?

If you have a condition that can be managed by the NHS and you have registered a GP when you came to see me, I will send a letter to myself at BCH requesting that you have your care transferred to the NHS.  I will also send copies of this letter to:

  • Your GP
  • A copy to the primary carer of the patient that has been registered.
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My child has been recommended to have an operation

If your child has had an operation recommended and you have requested to have his or her care transferred to the NHS, then I will add your child to my waiting list.

There are well established rules for this.  Your child will be added to my waiting list at the point they were seen.  They cannot be moved up the waiting list because they have been seen privately.