What to ask a private hospital before booking

If you're thinking of paying privately for surgery — or using your insurance — the questions you ask before booking determine the quality of decision you make. This is a checklist I'd take to any first appointment with a private consultant.

Before the consultation

About the consultant

1. What's your CQC and GMC status? Every UK private consultant must be on the GMC's specialist register. Verify their entry at gmc-uk.org.
2. How many of these procedures do you perform per year? PHIN publishes this for many consultants — see phin.org.uk. High-volume usually correlates with better outcomes.
3. What's your published complication rate vs the national average? PHIN data shows this where available.
4. Where else do you work? A consultant who also does NHS work is usually a positive signal — they've been peer-reviewed; their work is auditable; they have backup if something goes wrong.
5. Will you personally do the surgery, or could it be delegated to a colleague? Get a name. Some larger private hospitals have varying consultant rotas.

About the hospital

6. What's the hospital's CQC overall rating? Check at cqc.org.uk.
7. What's the hospital's intensive care / high-dependency provision? If something goes seriously wrong, you may need critical care. Some private hospitals don't have on-site ICU and rely on transfer to NHS.
8. What's the readmission rate for this procedure? PHIN publishes this.
9. Do you have an out-of-hours doctor on site? Important for post-op care.

At the consultation

About the procedure

10. What exactly is the procedure being recommended? Get the technical name (e.g., "right total hip arthroplasty, posterior approach"). Write it down.
11. What are my non-surgical alternatives? Physio, weight loss, injection, watchful waiting, medication. A reputable surgeon will discuss these honestly.
12. What's my likely outcome — best case, typical, worst case?
13. What's the chance the procedure won't fully resolve the issue? No procedure is 100%. Get a number.
14. What complications are most common, and how are they managed here?

About risk

15. What's the mortality rate? For most elective procedures it's under 0.1% but get the actual number for this procedure at this hospital.
16. What's the conversion rate (e.g., laparoscopic to open)? For procedures where this is relevant.
17. What are the long-term risks? Implant loosening, scar revision, etc.

About cost

Get this in writing

18. What's the all-in cost, including:

    • Consultant fee
    • Anaesthetist fee
    • Theatre fee
    • Hospital stay (specify length)
    • Pre-op investigations
    • Implants / prostheses
    • Post-op follow-up consultations
    • Post-op physio if relevant
    • Drugs in hospital

19. What's NOT included that I might need? Pre-op blood tests external to the hospital, specialist post-op equipment, additional outpatient consultations beyond the standard package.

20. What's your complications cover? How long does it cover (24h, 30 days, 90 days)? Does it cover all complications or only ones diagnosed during initial admission? Does it cover repeat surgery if the first procedure fails?

21. What payment plans or instalment options exist? Some hospitals offer 0% finance for 12 months on planned procedures.

22. If I'm using insurance:

    • Is this consultant in my insurer's network?
    • Will you accept the insurer's authorised pay-out as full settlement, or might there be a shortfall?
    • What's your billing process with my specific insurer?

After the consultation

23. What's your cancellation / cooling-off policy? Get it in writing.
24. Can I have your written summary of today's discussion before I commit? This is normal practice and gives you something to review at home, share with your GP, or get a second opinion on.
25. Can you refer me to a patient who has had this procedure here recently for a reference? Many won't, but some will — and this is gold-dust if available.

Red flags to walk away from

🚩 The consultant pressures you to decide today, or before reading the written summary. 🚩 The consultant won't put their complication rate in writing. 🚩 The all-in cost isn't clearly itemised. 🚩 The hospital has CQC "Inadequate" or "Requires Improvement" ratings. 🚩 The consultant is not on the GMC specialist register for the relevant specialty. 🚩 You feel rushed, dismissed, or uncomfortable.

If any of these apply, take time. Get a second opinion. The consultation fee (£150–£350) is worth absorbing twice if it gives you a clearer decision.

What this isn't

This is general guidance, not medical advice. Every individual's situation is different — your GP and the consultants you consult are the right people to advise on your specific case. I have no commercial relationship with any private consultant or hospital group.

If you're considering a private decision, the rest of the /insights section has companion pieces on costs, insurance, and the Right to Choose alternative.