Approximately half of the patients that I see on a private basis have a health insurance policy that covers the cost of all treatment. I am fee-assured for all of the major UK insurance companies, as are all of the consultant anaesthetists and other specialists that I work with. This means that the cost of any surgery of other treatment needed is agreed with the insurance company in advance and patients are not then liable for any additional costs. My secretary, Evie, deals with insurance codes and authorisations on a daily basis and can be contacted by direct line to assist with navigating through this process.
Health Insurance
For self-funding patients, the cost of an initial appointment is £200. The overall cost of treatment depends very much on whether any additional investigations (e.g. blood tests or scans) are required to reach an accurate diagnosis before proceeding to definitive treatment. I make a concerted effort to avoid any unnecessary duplication (and therefore additional cost) of tests that have already been performed elsewhere.
If a diagnosis is made at the first appointment (e.g. hernia on examination; gallstones on previous scans), a comprehensive quote for definitive treatment (including surgery and follow-up appointment) is arranged without any commitment to proceed.
As a guideline, example costs include:
New appointment £200
Follow-up appointment £150
Scans (if required):
Ultrasound (abdomen) - £350
CT (abdomen and pelvis) - £815
MRI (of bile ducts, MRCP) - £580
Procedures / operations (including anaesthetic fee, hospital stay and follow up outpatient appointment):
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (key hole gallbladder removal) - £7,367
ERCP - £1,881
Inguinal hernia repair - £3,877
Umbilical hernia repair - £3,608
I am obliged to highlight that the estimated costs above are for information purposes only and can vary significantly; a final price is confirmed before definitive treatment is undertaken.