Question 1

How does private care work?

Accepted Answer

Private primary care services work in a very similar way to NHS services but are not funded by the NHS and therefore incur a cost to the service user. This is usually paid up front but sometimes organisations will send out invoiced and sometimes its covered by insurances. Each private service with have slight different services that they offer but normally will all offer a core service which is usually a consultation with an appropriately trained clinician.

Question 2

How does private healthcare work generally?

Accepted Answer

Use of private healthcare has been increasing over the last few years as the NHS becomes more and more stretched. Private healthcare is usually accessed in two ways, either by direct booking of appointments with the private clinician or specialist, this is usually paid for by the service user themselves. Or by referral by a NHS or Private GP or appropriate clinician that gives access to the required service via an insurance policy. You do not need private health insurance to use private healthcare and if you are over a certain age or have many medical problems the insurance premiums are normally so high its not worthwhile. However private healthcare can be costly and having an insurance policy can avoid paying out for very costly procedures.

Question 3

How can I book my appointment?

Accepted Answer

Just select the 'Book Now' button anywhere on the website and that will take you through to our booking form. We will then contact you to discuss the appointment and preferred times for the booking. We do also accept bookings over the telephone, details of which are also on the booking form page.

Question 4

How do private prescriptions work?

Accepted Answer

Private prescriptions work differently from NHS prescriptions so you will not receive a traditional green prescription form. Rather than paying the prescription charge you are charged by the pharmacy for the cost of the product you have been prescribed. Sometimes this can be really great if the product is common and cheap but sometimes if the product is more obscure and costly this can be an unpleasant surprise. We are unable to impact the cost you pay at the pharmacy of the product we prescribe. We do however do our best to prescribe suitable and lower cost alternatives if the option is available.

We usually send the prescription to the pharmcacy via an internal link rather than give you a form.

The cost of issuing the prescription is included in the price of your consultation.

Question 5

What can you help with?

Accepted Answer

We are focused on the more urgent and acute care that people often have a hard time getting care for especially during evenings and weekends. We are especially good at new problems such as:
Coughs and colds
Sore throats and ear pain
Pain passing urine
New aches and pains
Feeling Short of Breath but not difficulty breathing
Exacerbations of long term problems 
Rashes, skin changes, lesions
Vomiting or diarrhoea
Indigestion
Abdominal pain (often needs ftf assessment)
Lumps, bumps and swelling
Fever and malaise 
Generally unwell
Tiredness and fatigued.

Question 6

What can you not help with?

Accepted Answer

We are growing and expanding all the time and we hope to be able to provide all the elements of primary and urgent healthcare that you need. At the moment we do have certain restrictions due to the nature of what we do and are focusing our attention on minor illness and on the day/acute problems.

We work under our licence to practice robustly.  We have achieved Care Quality Commission registration and continue to adhere to this registration by working safely and carefully ensuring our patients receive the best possible care.

To honour this commitment, we will not:
Prescribe controlled drugs 
Perform intimate procedures 
Provide fit notes, or commonly known as sick certificates (although we can provide medical letters to confirm attendance with our recommendations of care)
Write referrals to NHS specialists (although we can write letters to your GP with recommendations or local emergency departments if we feel you would benefit from  immediate attendance
Prescribe HRT (womens health clinics coming soon)
End of Life and Palliative Care medication
Mental health Crisis
Wound dressings

Any emergencies such as Severe DIB, sudden onset of allergic reaction with facial swelling, sudden onset of chest pain, new or sudden onset weakness should call 999 or go to the local emergency department.

This list is not exhaustive.

Question 7

What does Aceso mean?

Accepted Answer

Aceso (pronounced A-see-so) is the name of the Greek goddess of the healing process and the curring of sickness. She represented the process of curing rather than the cure itself. We believe that true health is complex and considers all parts of the person and so the idea of representing the process of curing rather than the cure itself resonated with us.

Question 8

Will my GP be made aware of this?

Accepted Answer

With your consent all consultations will be emailed over to your normal NHS GP, this means that we can be a good way of getting a message across to your GP. For example you might feel you need a referral but are struggling to get an appointment, you could see one of our clinicians who can take a concise history and do any appropriate examinations and write a detailed report with suggestions to your NHS GP. Of course we cant promise any outcomes on behalf of your GP but it might just help you on your way.

If consent to share the data with your GP is refused we will see you but it may alter the types of treatment that we can offer as we are unable to monitor or follow up in the same way your NHS GP is.

Question 9

What is the difference between online and face-to-face consultations?

Accepted Answer

Online consultations are usually done as Video calls but can be done as telephone calls if that is what you wish, its usually helpful for clinicians to be able to see their patients we understand this is not always possible. Online consultations do come with their restrictions as we are unable to do physical examinations or take observations which can be very helpful when making diagnosis. We always try to make sure that there is a safe and effective outcome but sometimes patient do need to be seen Face to Face. Online consultations are very helpful as they can be done late at night or very early in the morning and you and our clinicians are not restricted to locations so we can offer much more availability and at more unsocial times.

Face to Face appointments are great because you can sit with your clinician and they can do any physical examination that they need and can take observations there and then. This can mean less time is wasted and you are much less likely to need to be seen again or by someome else. They are more restrictive to times and locations and because of this there is less availability and slightly higher cost.

(look out for our online consultations observations kits to enhance your online experience coming soon)

Question 10

What happens if I have an online consultation and need to be seen face-to-face?

Accepted Answer

Our clinicians always strive to get the best possible outcomes for our patients, your best interests are at the heart of what we do but unfortunately we can not always work miracles (only sometimes!) and when your health is involved we will not take risks. This means that our advice could be that you need to be seen or even that you need to go to the local emergency department. With your consent we will always write to your GP and we can make the suggestion that you would benefit from a face to face assessment. You can then follow up with you own GP or wait for their response.

Question 11

Can I get repeat prescriptions?

Accepted Answer

Yes we can offer repeat prescriptions but we think It is likely that this would just be done based on a second follow up consultation as most things that might need to be long term repeats would probably be managed moving forward by your NHS GP. In the circumstance when repeat prescriptions without further consultation are appropriate there is a prescription charge of £30 but we would limit the quantity of medication to last you until your GP can issue the full quantity.

Question 12

Can I book in with you even if I’m not local?

Accepted Answer

Yes anyone can book an online consultation with us, however our main aim is to support areas that have high levels of healthcare needs which is why we focus mainly on local areas and working within local communities. We may have more restrictions in our ability to support you if you are very far away. For example we cannot send prescriptions to pharmacies outside of the UK.  We may also need to see you face to face therefore please consider this when you make your booking.

Question 13

Can I book blood tests or x-rays through you?

Accepted Answer

We offer a range of investigations to include blood tests and x rays.  However, these are always clinical decisions rather than requests from patients as we need to ensure all tests are appropriate and proportionate to your care.  Please also be aware that some tests may need to be carried out at our partner sites. We will, of course, ensure that we consider your concerns and explore all options with you.

Frequently Asked Questions