What a private consultant does
The short answer
A consultant is an independent clinician who bills you or your insurer for their own fees, separately from the hospital. This page explains what a private consultant does, how it is paid, what it is regulated to do, and where your protection comes from. We name no companies.
Written by Muhammad Junaid. Reviewed by Andrew Buscu.
Published 2026-09-15. Last reviewed 2026-09-15. Next review due 2027-03-15.
What it does
- Sees you in clinic, recommends and carries out treatment, and follows you up.
- Sets their own fees, which may or may not match what your insurer will pay.
- Usually works across NHS and private sites.
- Decides, clinically, whether a procedure is appropriate at all.
How it is paid
- By the insurer at the insurer’s fee schedule, or by you directly if you self-pay.
- A fee above the insurer’s schedule creates a shortfall that you pay.
- Fee information for many consultants is published through PHIN.
What it is regulated to do
- Registered with the General Medical Council and required to hold a licence to practise.
- Granted practising privileges by each private hospital they work at.
- Not regulated by the FCA — a clinician is not an insurance adviser.
Anyone arranging or advising on insurance in the UK must be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority or be an appointed representative of a firm that is, and you can check any firm or individual free of charge on the Financial Services Register. [1] The conduct rules that apply to insurance sit in the FCA’s insurance sourcebook. [2]
What protects you
- The medical register shows registration, licence and any restrictions.
- Complaints about clinical care go to the hospital and, if needed, the GMC.
- The Financial Ombudsman Service cannot rule on clinical decisions.
| The problem | Where it goes |
|---|---|
| An insurance sale, a policy decision or a declined claim | The firm’s complaints process first, then the Financial Ombudsman Service |
| A firm that has failed owing you money | The Financial Services Compensation Scheme |
| Care or safety at a hospital or clinic | The provider’s complaints process, then the health regulator for your nation |
| A doctor’s conduct or fitness to practise | The General Medical Council |
| Something we have published | Our own corrections route on the complaints page |
The Financial Ombudsman Service resolves complaints about regulated firms free of charge, [3] and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme can pay compensation where an authorised firm cannot. [4] Care regulators publish inspection reports for private hospitals as well as NHS ones, [5] and the medical register shows whether a doctor holds a licence to practise. [8]
Questions worth asking
- Are you fee-assured with my insurer for this procedure?
- Will there be any charge beyond what my insurer pays, and how much?
- How many of these do you do a year?
- Who covers me if there is a problem when you are not on site?
Free and impartial guidance on any of this is available from MoneyHelper. [9] Private hospital and consultant performance and fee information is published by PHIN under the Competition and Markets Authority’s order. [6] [7]
Sources
- Financial Conduct Authority. The Financial Services Register. Continuously updated; checked 15 September 2026 (primary source)
- Financial Conduct Authority. Insurance: Conduct of Business Sourcebook (ICOBS). Continuously updated; checked 15 September 2026 (primary source)
- Financial Ombudsman Service. Financial Ombudsman Service. Continuously updated; checked 15 September 2026 (primary source)
- Financial Services Compensation Scheme. Financial Services Compensation Scheme. Continuously updated; checked 15 September 2026 (primary source)
- Care Quality Commission. Find and compare care services. Continuously updated; checked 15 September 2026 (primary source)
- Private Healthcare Information Network. Private hospital and consultant performance and fee information. Continuously updated; checked 15 September 2026 (primary source)
- Competition and Markets Authority. Private healthcare market investigation. Continuously updated; checked 15 September 2026 (primary source)
- General Medical Council. The medical register. Continuously updated; checked 15 September 2026 (primary source)
- MoneyHelper (Money and Pensions Service). MoneyHelper — free and impartial money guidance. Continuously updated; checked 15 September 2026 (primary source)