How it works
How a private GP appointment works
Three steps, usually all on the same day. Book a time online, see a GMC-registered GP in the way that suits you, and let the practice handle what comes next. No registration, no membership, and you keep your NHS GP.
Three steps to a private GP appointment
Start with the appointment that fits the problem: a same-day appointment in clinic, a video consultation from anywhere in the UK, or a home visit across North London.
Book online
Choose clinic, video or home, pick the appointment length that fits the problem, and take a free time. Tell us briefly what it is about so the doctor is prepared. Most weekday appointments are available the same day.
See your doctor
A GMC-registered GP takes a proper history, examines you where needed, explains what they think is going on and agrees a plan with you. Ask for the same doctor each time if you prefer continuity.
Aftercare, handled
Prescriptions go electronically to your pharmacy, referral letters are written the same day, fit notes are emailed, and test results are explained to you by a doctor rather than left as numbers.
How long is a private GP appointment?
You choose the length when you book. A 20-minute appointment suits one clear problem. A 30-minute appointment gives unhurried time for more than one concern or a fuller discussion. A 45-minute extended appointment suits a complex history or a review of long-term conditions.
Video consultations come in the same three lengths. A home visit is 45 minutes, which allows for the examination and for the doctor to explain the plan to you and, with your consent, to family or carers. If the doctor needs more time than you booked, they will tell you and agree it with you first.
How much does it cost?
You pay per visit and every price is the full price. There is no registration fee and no membership.
- GP appointment in clinic
- £90
- Video consultation
- £90
- Home visit
- from £180, depending on distance
- Blood tests
- from £45
- Well man / well woman health check
- £495
Fees are paid at the practice by card or cash; nothing is charged online when you book. Referral letters written during the appointment are included in the fee; a private prescription carries a separate fee, and the pharmacy charges its own price for the medicine. You can cancel or move an appointment free of charge with 24 hours’ notice; later than that, or if you do not attend, the appointment fee may be charged. Every fee, including the longer appointment lengths, is on our pricing page.
Before the appointment
- Bring a list of medicines you take and any recent test results or letters.
- For a video appointment, find a quiet, well-lit place and check your camera.
- For a home visit, make sure the person being seen knows the doctor is coming.
- Children should be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
What if the doctor needs to see you in person after a video call?
Some things cannot be assessed safely on a screen: tummy pain, chest symptoms, anything that needs the doctor to listen to your chest or heart, injuries, ear problems in young children, and lumps that need a hand as well as an eye. If that is the case, the doctor will tell you honestly and help you book a clinic appointment or a home visit, and the video fee is taken into account so you are not paying twice for the same problem.
What if I need a test or a referral?
It is arranged during the same appointment. Blood tests can be taken in clinic or during a home visit and are sent to our laboratory partner; most routine results are back within one to two working days, and a GP reviews every result before you hear from us. Anything that needs a conversation is explained by phone or at a follow-up, never left as a number on a page.
If you need a specialist opinion, a scan or a test we cannot do in the clinic, the doctor writes the referral letter the same day, to a provider you choose or one we suggest for the problem. Referral letters are included in the appointment fee. Most private consultants and imaging centres ask for a GP letter first, and most insurers need one before they will authorise a specialist. A private prescription, where appropriate, is sent electronically to the pharmacy you choose.
After the appointment
- You receive an itemised invoice for insurance if you need one.
- With your consent, a summary goes to your NHS GP so your record stays complete.
- Results and letters are sent to you securely; anything that needs discussion is explained by phone or at a follow-up.
- Cancel or move an appointment free with 24 hours’ notice.
Is a private GP appointment right for me?
For most everyday problems that cannot wait for a routine NHS booking, yes: an infection, a rash, a child who has been unwell overnight, a worry that needs a proper conversation, a fit note, a medication review, or a set of results you want explained. You keep your NHS GP throughout, and with your consent we send a short summary to your NHS practice so your record stays complete. See all our services.
It is not the right route for everything. GPLine is not an emergency service: for a life-threatening emergency call 999, and for urgent advice outside our hours call NHS 111. Some conditions are better served by the NHS pathway, which can offer ongoing care that a one-off private appointment cannot — if that is true for you, the doctor will say so plainly and, with your consent, write to your NHS GP instead or as well. Read more about the practice and how we are regulated.
Where we are and when we are open
At the rear of Grovelands Medical Centre, 1 Grovelands Rd, Palmers Green, London, N13 4RJ. Palmers Green station (Great Northern) · Buses 121, 329, W6 on Green Lanes. Open Monday to Friday 09:00–17:00. Grovelands Road is a turning off Aldermans Hill, a few minutes’ walk from Palmers Green station. The contact page has a map, directions and parking notes, and the Palmers Green page covers the neighbourhood in more detail.
