Are you looking for access to private medical treatment and you are living or working in the Chelmsford area.  Have you discovered what facilities are available to you?

There are so many private medical facilities in and around Chelmsford, Essex; however you really need to work out exactly what you are looking for:

Do you need emergency treatment?

If you need emergency medical treatment then you would need to go to an NHS hospital. Private hospitals rarely offer A & E facilities and the NHS are equipped to help you in an emergency situation. If you are in the Chelmsford area, Broomfield hospital would be the closest accident and emergency department.

Are you self-funding your private medical treatment or do you have health insurance?

When you self-fund your medical treatment rather than use health insurance, you will have a number of choices.

Maybe you have been recommended to a specialist at Springfield hospital by a friend? Perhaps your GP has suggested you see a professional at the Spire Hartswood?

You could have done your own research and decide to see a specialist at The Priory.

The cost of the treatment will vary. It will depend on the treatment, medication, hospital, consultant and complexity of the procedure you need.

People with private medical insurance may also need to check which hospitals are available to them. This is especially relevant if they are on a reduced hospital list.

Some policies such as Vitality’s Consultant Select require the policy holder to obtain an open referral from a GP. They then need to call the insurer who will assess the claim. If it is eligible for cover, they will then recommend which consultant or hospital best suits your requirements.

Not all health insurance providers have “hospital lists” and therefore some people with private medical insurance will have access to all private hospitals including the higher charging London facilities.

Are you looking for a private GP or a private specialist or consultant?

There are many private GP’s in and around the Chelmsford area. Springfield hospital alone currently have 7 Private GP’s working from their Essex hospital.

https://www.springfieldhospital.co.uk/patients/private-gp-services

With some NHS GP surgeries in the Essex area having a long waiting list for appointments, seeing a private GP could mean that you get a diagnosis far quicker than waiting to see your NHS GP. There is a cost involved and although some private medical insurance policies will offer some cover for private GP visits, not all do. If you have a health insurance policy you should check to see whether you have any cover available for private GP consultations before making your appointment.

It may be that you have already seen your NHS GP but would like a second opinion. A private GP will be able to discuss your symptoms and review your diagnosis to give you peace of mind that you are on the right treatment path for your condition or suggest alternatives if available.

Consultants/ specialists often work out of more than one hospital and you will also find a percentage of them work in both the NHS and private sectors. On most hospital websites they will provide you with a description of the clinical interests of the specialist and their academic background to enable you to find out more about the consultant you are going to see. Some will also have their own private website which would provide even further detailed information.

Do you need diagnostic tests such as MRI, CT or PET scans?

The good news if you have a private medical insurance policy is that these are likely to be covered under the core part of your policy and all of the private hospitals in the Chelmsford area offer great access to diagnostic testing.

If you are self-funding your private treatment it really may be worth you contacting the different local hospitals in Essex to see how much the diagnostics will cost. There are also some independent scanning centres such as Alliance Medical situated both in Colchester General Hospital and Basildon University Hospital, both located in Essex.

SMP Healthcare Ltd is located in the heart of Chelmsford and our team of expert and knowledgeable staff can help clients with any aspect of their health insurance cover. If you are new to private health insurance or have a policy in place but would like to work with an independent and local broker then please contact us for more information and find out how working with us could help you now and in the future.

Telephone 01245 929129

Email: enquiries@smphealthcare.com