The most common reason people switch to a private GP isn't dissatisfaction with their NHS doctor. It's time. Ten minutes isn't enough to unpack a complex situation, and both patient and doctor know it.
But private GP services vary enormously — from glorified appointment booking to genuinely comprehensive health partnerships. Here's what to actually evaluate.
What a private GP gives you
Time. Most private GP consultations run 30–60 minutes versus 10 on the NHS. For straightforward issues, 10 minutes is fine. For anything complex, chronic, or multi-system, it's inadequate.
Direct specialist referral. A private GP can refer you directly to a named consultant within days. On the NHS, you're referred to a department, then waitlisted, then allocated to whoever is next available.
Proactive health screening. Private GPs often offer comprehensive annual health assessments — blood panels, cardiac screening, cancer markers — that go well beyond the NHS health check.
What a private GP doesn't give you
NHS system access. If you need an NHS pathway — for cancer MDTs, clinical trials, emergency care — your private GP can't directly plug you into that system. You may need to maintain your NHS registration in parallel.
Automatic coordination. A private GP generates referrals, but they don't typically coordinate between the multiple specialists you might end up seeing. That coordination gap is where things go wrong.
When a private GP makes clinical sense
If you have a complex ongoing condition that requires regular review, multiple medications, or coordination between specialists — a private GP with longer appointments can be genuinely transformative. If you're generally healthy and need occasional acute care, the financial case is weaker.
The key question isn't "NHS or private?" It's whether anyone is looking at the complete picture of your health — all the specialists, all the medications, all the results — as a coherent whole.