Essential Information for Private Patients at The Spine Surgery London

Introduction

Here we tell you about how the practice runs. You need to scroll through and read all this information before you tick the box at the bottom to say you have and that the terms are acceptable to you. You will then gain access to our booking page. Private medical care can be expensive and we feel it is important you have full understanding of what will be involved here.

The Support Team

Who are you going to see?

Mr Peter J. Hamlyn: Consultant Spinal Neurosurgeon. He only treats adults with spinal disorders. Main area of work is in minimally invasive and restorative spinal surgery. Further interest in the elderly spine and spinal osteoporosis. Substantial experience in elite level sports and performing arts; Premiere League and England rugby and football, UK Athletics, British Horse Racing, Royal Ballet, Motor sports.

Dr Eleanor J. Tillett: Consultant in Sport and Exercise Medicine. She specialises in spinal disorders and sports injury; their diagnosis, investigation and treatment. Works with any bone or joint problem though has a special expertise in spinal disorders- diagnosis, non-operative treatment including spinal injections. National Governing Body Medical Officer for the Great Britain Figure Skating Team.  Also worked with England Women’s Football and Team GB at the Winter Olympics, Youth Olympics and with Team England at the Youth Commonwealth Games.

Communication: be prepared

So we may communicate with everyone involved in your care (e.g., private and NHS GP’s, physiotherapists, osteopaths, chiropractors) please provide us with their full names and addresses including post codes. N.B. the registration forms you fill in at the various clinics are not connected with our office and you need to give these details directly to our team/office at 30 Devonshire Street. We also need to have your address and telephone numbers for day time and urgent communication.

Scans and X-Rays

• If you have already had tests done ensure you bring them with you however old they are. .
• Keep the scans yourself. Do not leave them with us, others or at hospitals ever.
• Bring them to all appointments if your symptoms still bother you. If you are well and onto rehabilitation you may not need not to bring them.
• NHS hospitals will give you a copy for a fee – usually about £50.00
• After discharge keep them safe for ever.

Clinics, Hospitals and How to Find Us

The main office and clinic is based at 30 Devonshire Street. The first appointment at the morning clinics is 8am and there are some evening clinics:

* As a part owner of this clinic Mr Hamlyn shares in the profits of this clinic.

Most in-patient, operating and injection work is carried out at the Princess Grace Hospital, London.

Booking Appointments:  Telephone 0207 935 3721

• All appointments are booked through the central office at 30 Devonshire Street even if you are to see us elsewhere.
• Make sure you are clear not only of the time but the place of your appointment. Appointments may need to be changed

The nature of clinical life is such that schedules sometimes have to change substantially and at short notice. Check before your appointment that things are still as scheduled and ensure that the telephone numbers you give when first registering include ones that we can contact you on reliably and at short notice.

Clinics may run late

Mostly the clinics run to time but clinical problems are unpredictable and so may run late. We apologise in advance and do make every effort to keep it to a minimum. Please do not eat the staff.

Other Issues

Chaperones and escorts

If you would like a chaperone please request one before hand, and do so each time you come. Please feel free to bring a friend or family member to any of the clinics they are most welcome.

Second opinions

These often cause embarrassment but should not. We are always happy with them and may even suggest one. If you feel one might help do please ask us. There is often a particular element of the situation causing concern and the choice of who to see may vary in such circumstances.

Informed consent for operations and injections

Before you have a procedure of any kind, however trivial you may feel it to be, you must be fully aware of the possible and likely consequences. You will have to sign a consent form to say you are. We have prepared a specific information pack explaining all the issues; “Informed Consent for Treatment”. In addition there are usually specific leaflets concerning your operation.

The drugs we use

Most drugs in most people cause some side effects. Before you take any of the tablets we prescribe you should read our information leaflet; “Medications: Read this before you take them” in addition to the leaflet that comes from the pharmacist.

Pregnancy

If there is any risk you are pregnant or become pregnant during treatment you must alert all the doctors treating you every time you see them and especially us. The tests, drugs and treatments may all damage you and your future baby.

Complaints

However hard we try a complaint may arise. The amount of stuff you have to read could be a good place to start! So, we have prepared an information sheet– “Complaints and How to Make One”!

Strict terms and conditions apply to our providing private medical services. These need to be accepted, by signing the registration form, before you book in.

• Patients are always responsible for all their fees – not their insurers.
• Fees are charged for consultations and operations.
• Fees for all reasonable letters, reports, prescriptions and administrative work are included in the above.
• All consultation fees are to be paid on the day
• Quotes are provided for all operations and are paid before admission.
• Insured patients pay as above and claim back.
• To use your insurance to pay us directly you must  do all the following:
  • Accept full responsibility for all your fees and ensure that your insurer pays within 28 days.
  • Pay all invoices not paid at 28 days
  • Provide now a reliable day time telephone number which we will use to take overdue payments over the telephone by card. e.g., excesses, shortfalls and all late payments
  • Obtain “authorisation” for all consultations/operations and give us details of any authorisation numbers beforehand.– for some companies you need a new one each time
  • Pay all anticipated shortfalls for outpatients on the day and lodge those for operations with the office before admission.
  • Accept that this facility is only available to patients with insurers on our approved list and for some it excludes use for outpatient invoices. You are responsible for asking what we accept yours for.
• Be careful. Medical care is expensive. Medical insurance is rarely comprehensive. Remember even if you are insured and “authorised” you are always entirely responsible for all fees.
• Please note we no longer deal with AXAPPP for outpatient fees unless you are with the Royal Ballet or UBS schemes.
• Note too; information given by insurers about fees or payments does not influence your responsibility for the fees or override any of that which is set out here.

Outpatient Fees

All initial out patient consultations with Dr Tillett are £200.00 and with Mr Hamlyn £350.00

All follow-up appointments with Dr Tillett are £160.00 and with Mr Hamlyn £225.00

If you elect to have your consultations by telephone our work is the same and these are charged for at the same rate. Insurers may decline to pay for these.

Procedure Fees

Quotes for all operations are provided which give a written title/description of the procedure, and our fees. The fee covers all administration and visits during that admission. It does not include any follow-up consultation unless specifically stated by us before hand. Insurers have a system of codes (CCSD) for procedures with which they determine how much they will contribute to your fee. If requested we will suggest the code, or codes, that are in our view relevant though coding is their domain and does not influence the fee we charge. If you have asked for us to deal directly with them check if you have a shortfall and lodge this with us before admission.

Insurers

We have links with BUPA, AXAPPP, the sports and professional schemes such as the English Institute of Sport, Rugbycare, the Premiere League Football scheme and that operated by The Royal Ballet. Likewise, Medisure, WPA, Cigna, Groupama, PruHealth, Standard Life and Norwich Union/AVIVA, Permanent Healthcare. The vast majority cover consultation, diagnostic and many operation/procedure fees in full. All pay the hospital’s bills in full (unless you have a specific shortfall). AXAPPP and BUPA have reduced the cover they offer and patients with this insurance may experience shortfalls in both outpatient and operation fees in addition to restrictions on the physiotherapists they can see. They should inform you of any excesses on your policy and the shortfalls. Obviously the type of insurance you have does not alter the fees charged. Most of these shortfalls constitute only a small percentage of our overall fees though substantial shortfalls in operation fees may occur. Even BUPA and AXAPPP pay the hospital’s bills in full.

How to make payments

• By cheque made payable to “Mr P J Hamlyn” or “Dr E Tillett” (depending on who you saw) delivered to 30 Devonshire Street, London W1G 6PU.
• By telephone using debit or credit* card (Visa or MasterCard) – Call - 0207 935 3721 – normal office hours.
• By debit or credit* card at 30 Devonshire Street. Service is available 9am to 5pm i.e. not at evening clinics.
• *Please note, for credit card payments a 2.5% handling charge is added
• No facilities for payments are available after 5pm or at the other clinics (Broadgate or Pure Sport). Please attend to these payments beforehand, preferably by card over the telephone.
• Others of course may pay on your behalf using any of the above methods.

ENSURE YOU UNDERSTAND THE FEES AND HAVE A PAYMENT ARRANGEMENT READY BEFORE YOUR FIRST APPOINTMENT

Contact details

* All correspondence and payments should be sent to this address

Spinal Nurse Specialist: Call the Princess Grace Hospital Switchboard on 020 7486 1234- and ask for the Spinal Nurse Specialist, on Pager 150, or call direct on the mobile - 07917 374 372, or the direct line 0207 908 3682 

Clinics and Hospitals

Out of hours and urgent/emergency care

• Call 0207 486 1234- ask for Sister in Charge to be bleeped.
• They will usually be able to have the Nurse Specialist, our assistant, or one of us get back to you

Please note we do not offer a 24hour emergency service.
We can respond rapidly most times but not 100% of the time.
If unavailable or you are a long way off you should use the usual 999, GP and Emergency services.

The information and fee rates above were correct at the time of preparation. They may subsequently vary. - July 2017