In the private sector

Patients are under GMC rules not allowed to self refer themselves to Hospital Consultants. Patients have to see their general practitioner or another medical practitioner such as a physiotherapist and they have to refer patients first. Insurance companies will not pay for care unless your GP has made this referal.

Transferring from the private sector to the NHS

Mr Davies and most NHS Consultants are not allowed to transfer patients that they see privately to the NHS. If you are seen privately your treatment or investigation can be recommended but different primary care groups (PCTs) have different arrangements for how this care is arranged. The pathway depending on your location will be explained so you know how to access the care you need. Normally patients are refered back to their GP with treatment or investigations recommended. This is normally then arranged in the local treatment centres.

In the NHS

Childrens referals are seen by Mr Davies at Southampton General Hospital.

Adult patients are seen at the Royal South Hants Hospital. In the NHS if your referal is made by your GP the letter often does not get to be seen by Mr Davies. The letter is intercepted by the Primary Care Trusts and they arrange a special assessment of you prior to your on ward referal. Primary Care Trusts (PCTS) are the bodies who pay for and commission care for the patients of GPs. In Southampton you will be seen at either Hythe Hospital or in the Stoneham Centre at Moorgreeen Hospital. These centres decide on whether the referal is sent on or whether alternative treatment and investigation should be instigated. The aim of these centres is to ensure that the right patients are seen in hospital and also to see if alternative therapy can be tried first. Mr Davies is not involved directly in these centres as part of his NHS job.

Mr Davies is only allowed to see patients from outside Southampton if they have been seen by a local Consultant first. These referals between Consultants do not come under any Government target and therefore the delay is often longer than the stated times to see a Consultant as it is the time to see the first Consultant that counts. There are quotas on the number of patients that can be seen and treated from outside of Southampton. Local PCTs make agreements about the numbers that can be seen. Once these numbers have been treated then potential this process is blocked until the following financial year, or individual alternative arrangements have to be made.