Starting out
Insured patients can only choose you if their insurer recognises you.
Recognition is a separate application with each insurer, and it can take months. Here is how to get it done.
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- steps
- 8
- steps
- to start
- 6 to 16 weeks, depending on the hospital's committee dates (Solvable estimate)
- to start
The short answer
Each insurer recognises consultants through its own application, and most need practising privileges at a hospital they recognise before you apply. Get your privileges first, build one document pack, apply to the insurers that matter locally in the same week, and never treat an insured patient before written confirmation. Treatment before recognition may not be funded, so every week of delay can mean lost insured work.
What good looks like
Your profile, before and after
Mr Sam Patel, Consultant Orthopaedic surgery
- Improved: Recognised by Example
- Improved: Listed on insurer finder tools · referrals accepted
Illustrative sample, not a real person or result.
8 steps
Do it yourself: step by step
0 of 8 done
Apply for privileges at the hospital or hospitals where you will see private patients. Most insurers need you to work at a facility they recognise
- Time
- 6 to 16 weeks, depending on the hospital's committee dates (Solvable estimate)
- Typical cost
- £0 to a few hundred pounds
- Who does it
- You
Done when: Written confirmation of privileges and the facility names
This problem is Solvable.
Copy this checklist
Insurer recognition application pack checklist
Free to copy, adapt and use. No sign-up.
Insurer recognition pack
Gather once, in one folder. Name files clearly, for example 'Surname_GMC.pdf'. Check each insurer's own list, as requirements differ.
Core documents (commonly asked for)
- GMC number and evidence of specialist register entry
- Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT), if you hold one
- Confirmation of consultant post, endorsed by your medical staffing or HR department
- Current indemnity certificate
- Photo ID (passport or photocard driving licence)
- Practising privileges confirmation for each hospital
- Names and addresses of every facility where you will treat insured patients
- List of procedures you will perform, with CCSD codes
- Clinical CV
- Bank details for payment by BACS
If you do not hold a substantive NHS consultant post
- Ask the insurer what evidence it needs, for example references or your most recent appraisal
If relevant
- Full details and correspondence for any GMC investigation, conviction or suspension, with a covering letter
Application tracker
| Insurer | Criteria met? | Date applied | Reference | Contact | Fee terms read | Recognised from | On finder |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bupa | |||||||
| AXA Health | |||||||
| Aviva | |||||||
| Vitality | |||||||
| WPA | |||||||
| [Other] |
Rules for your secretary
- Do not book an insured patient until the consultant is recognised by that insurer, in writing.
- Get an authorisation number before every insured appointment.
- Treatment before the insurer confirms recognition may not be paid.
- Submit invoices promptly and check each insurer's time limit.
Avoid these
Common mistakes
- Applying to insurers before practising privileges are confirmed.
- Applying to one insurer at a time, months apart.
- Seeing an insured patient before recognition is confirmed, then finding the invoice will not be paid.
- Agreeing to an insurer's terms without reading its fee schedule and rules on charging above it.
- Forgetting smaller insurers that matter to a large local employer.
Free personal check
Done by Paul Robinson, not software
I'll check where your insurer applications stand and what is holding them up
What I need from you
- Your answers to 8 quick questions
- Your specialty and main hospital
What you get
- The insurers to prioritise locally
- What is missing from your pack
- The order to apply in this week
Within 2 working days
No sign-in, no sales call. I read every request myself and reply on WhatsApp.
Free tools
Check where you stand
Benchmarks
Bupa recognition is for doctors with a current GMC licence who are on the specialist register with no previous hearings or investigations, and who hold a substantive NHS or Ministry of Defence consultant post. Honorary appointments may also be recognised
Bupa confirmation of consultant post form
Source: Bupa
The Bupa recognition application is online and should take no more than an hour
Bupa consultant recognition page
Source: Bupa
Consultants recognised by AXA PPP (now AXA Health) from July 2008, and by Bupa through the recognition process that opened in June 2010, must charge within that insurer's fee schedule. Consultants recognised earlier can charge their own rate
BMA guidance on working in private practice. Insurers' own pages do not state the dates
Source: BMA
From privileges application to recognition by the main insurers usually takes 3 to 6 months in total
Solvable estimate based on typical hospital committee cycles and insurer processing times
Solvable estimate
Paul Robinson
14 years in UK private healthcare
I solve this one for consultants
Want a hand? I'll look at your situation and tell you the three things I'd tackle first.
A few quick questions, about two minutes. I read every one myself and usually reply the same day.
No sales call unless you ask for one. Just a straight answer from me.
I reply personally, usually the same day.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does recognition take?
The application itself can be quick; Bupa says it should take no more than an hour. The wait is in privileges and insurer processing. Plan for three to six months from start to being recognised by the main insurers (Solvable estimate).
Can I see insured patients while I wait?
Not on their insurance. Wait for written confirmation from the insurer, and see them as self-pay only if they choose that, with fees in writing.
I do not hold an NHS consultant post. Can I still be recognised?
Sometimes. Bupa's consultant post form refers to substantive NHS or Ministry of Defence consultant posts, and says honorary appointments on the specialist register may also be recognised. Ask each insurer what evidence it needs.
Do I have to accept the insurer's fees?
Often, yes. Consultants recognised by AXA PPP (now AXA Health) from July 2008, and by Bupa through the recognition process that opened in June 2010, must charge within that insurer's fee schedule. These are contract terms with each insurer, not law, so read each insurer's terms before you accept, and make the decision yourself rather than agreeing a common line with other consultants. This is general information, not legal advice. A solicitor who advises doctors on private practice contracts can review the terms; speak to a competition lawyer before any joint approach to an insurer.
Which insurers should I apply to first?
The ones your hospital's private patient team says their patients use most. Apply to all of them in the same week.
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