What is private general practice?
What counts as private GP care, how it is paid for and regulated, and how it sits alongside the NHS.
The short answer
Private general practice is GP care that the NHS does not pay for: the patient, their employer or sometimes an insurer pays, usually per appointment or through a membership. The doctor follows the same GMC standards as in the NHS, and the service is regulated separately, by the CQC in England. Patients almost always keep their NHS GP and NHS entitlement, and private GPs work without most NHS systems such as EPS and e-Referrals.
Key points
- Private general practice is first-contact GP care funded by the patient, an employer or sometimes an insurer.
- The doctor’s GMC obligations are unchanged. The service is regulated separately, by the CQC in England.
- Patients stay registered with an NHS GP and keep their NHS entitlement.
- NHS GPs do not have to take on prescriptions or tests recommended privately.
- Private GPs work without most NHS systems, including EPS, e-Referrals and direct NHS record access.
A working definition
Private general practice is GP care that the NHS does not pay for. The patient pays, or someone pays on their behalf, such as an employer or, less often, an insurer. The clinical work is general practice: first-contact care for any problem, from a new symptom to a long-term condition, delivered by a GP.
A 2026 study of private general practices in England described them as offering privately funded, comprehensive, first-point-of-contact care that patients can consult without restrictions. That is a useful test. A clinic that only offers one treatment is a specialist service, even if a GP runs it.
How it is paid for
- Pay per appointment. The most common model: a fee for each consultation, with tests and prescriptions charged separately or included.
- Membership. An annual or monthly fee for access, often with a set number of appointments or discounts.
- Employer schemes. Some employers buy GP access for staff, often by video.
- Insurance. Some policies include a private GP benefit, but many private medical insurance policies do not cover GP visits. See can patients pay with insurance?
The BMA notes that private prescriptions can sometimes be cheaper than NHS prescription charges, but are often much more expensive, especially for long-term conditions. Patients need to know that before they start.
Who provides it
Private GP care comes in several forms. They are covered in detail in the different types of private GP:
- independent GP clinics, from a single doctor to multi-site groups
- GP services inside private hospitals, often under practising privileges
- online and video-based providers
- home-visiting and concierge services
- GPs who work mainly in the NHS and do some private sessions.
How it is regulated
The doctor’s obligations do not change. A private GP needs a GMC licence to practise, revalidation, and indemnity for private work, and follows the same GMC standards as in the NHS.
The service is regulated separately. In England most private GP services must register with the Care Quality Commission, which inspects and rates them. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own regulators: Healthcare Improvement Scotland, Healthcare Inspectorate Wales and RQIA. See do I need to register with the CQC?
How it sits alongside the NHS
Private general practice is almost always used alongside NHS care, not instead of it.
- Patients stay registered with an NHS GP. Being a patient’s registered GP is an NHS status. See can patients register with a private GP?
- Patients keep their NHS entitlement. Government guidance is that NHS care should not be withdrawn because a patient buys private care, as long as the two are kept separate.
- The NHS GP does not have to take over. BMA guidance says NHS GPs are not obliged to prescribe or arrange tests recommended privately unless they agree it is clinically appropriate. Private GPs should plan to see through what they start.
- NHS GP practices have limits. An NHS practice cannot charge its own registered patients for treatment, with narrow exceptions. See restrictions on NHS practices.
What is different in practice
The appeal for patients is usually access and time: quick appointments, longer consultations and continuity with one doctor. For GPs, it is more control over how they work. See how private consultations differ.
The trade-off is that private GPs work without most NHS systems:
- no NHS Electronic Prescription Service, so prescriptions are private, on paper or through a private e-prescribing service
- no NHS e-Referral Service, although patients can still be referred into the NHS by letter
- usually no direct access to the patient’s NHS record
- responsibility for arranging and following up tests, which is often through private laboratories.
Good private GPs keep the NHS GP informed, with the patient’s consent, so the patient’s main record stays complete. See sending notes to the NHS GP.
How big is it?
Private general practice is a small part of UK general practice. A BJGP Open study found 358 privately funded general practices in England in April 2024, compared with 5,976 NHS practices, and half of them were in London. Online providers were not included. See how many private GPs are there?
If you are thinking about it
You do not need to leave the NHS to try private work, and most GPs who do it combine the two. Start with why GPs go private and working in both sectors.
Frequently asked questions
Is a private GP a different kind of doctor?
No. Most private GPs are fully trained GPs on the GMC’s GP Register who follow the same standards as NHS GPs, and many work in both sectors. Patients can check a doctor’s registration on the GMC’s online register.
Can a private GP refer patients to NHS hospitals?
Yes, if the patient is eligible for NHS care. Referrals go by letter or local routes rather than through the NHS e-Referral Service.
Is private general practice the same as a walk-in or urgent care centre?
No. NHS urgent treatment centres are NHS services. Private GP services are paid for and usually offer booked appointments with continuity.
Do private GPs have registered patients?
Not in the NHS sense. Some offer memberships or ongoing care, but patients remain registered with their NHS GP.
