Frequently Asked Questions
1. How can I contact you to make an appointment or enquiry?
For any enquiries or appointments please telephone 07801 925 724 (from outside the UK, call +44 (0) 7801 925 724) or Email: [email protected].
Appointment times are typically between 9.30am and 5.30pm Mondays to Fridays. Evening appointments can be made up to 8.30pm. It is sometimes possible to arrange appointments outside these hours. Telephone consultations, video and face to face appointments are possible..
2. Can I be certain that all personal information I provide will be confidential?
Any information you disclose to us will be treated as strictly confidential. Your consultation will take place in a closed room and only staff at The Clinic will have access to your information when it is required. The Frater Clinic will not disclose any personally identifiable information to a third party, with the exception of your NHS GP (where appropriate) without your written consent.
NB. The regulators eg. Care Quality Commission may access your notes
3. If I have any tests at The Frater Clinic, how soon will the results be available?
You will be notified of the availability of your results as soon as we have received them from the laboratory. Usually this is about 48 hours. Some more complicated tests (e.g. those including lab cultures) may take a little longer. Other tests, such as those for HIV, require pre- and post-test counselling which means these test results cannot be given by telephone and an experienced health professional must disclose the results in person. There may also be longer waiting times occasionally due to laboratory closures over weekends and Bank Holidays.
4. Are you able to phone me with test results?
After many tests a further consultation is desirable however this is not the case with all tests. Alternatively we can post the results to yourself and/or your GP. Exceptions to this are tests of a sensitive or complicated nature, such as those for HIV. This means these test results usually cannot be given by telephone and an experienced health professional must disclose the results in person. We consider this is the best manner in which to disclose these results where you can ask questions directly and immediately to ensure you fully understand the implications of the results. However, during the Coronavirus pandemic, results were given over the telephone after confidentiality and security clearance checks.
5. Are you able to refer me to a specialist?
In the UK, in order to see a specialist, a referral from a GP is required. This means that if you think that you need to see a specialist, you must first be assessed by a GP who will then refer you to the appropriate specialist once they have deemed it necessary and appropriate.
The Frater Clinic has established strong relationships, over many years, with some of the finest specialists in the country and we are able to arrange appointments with them. Some specialists come to The Frater Clinic for consultations, saving you time and effort spent travelling to another location. We can arrange referrals to doctors in other specialties. Consultations may be by telephone, video link or face to face as appropriate and according to preference.
The Frater Clinic provides specialist referrals to and specialist consultations with members of the following specialist team:
• Cardiologist
• Endocrinologist
• General Surgeon
• Breast Surgeon
• Sexual health
Plus-Physiotherapist
Each standard consultation with the GP will cost £250. Additional tests carry an additional fee. The specialists’ fees vary according to the type of specialist (please see under the heading "prices").
6. Is it possible to have a particular test without a consultation before or after?
In your best interest and in keeping with best practice guidelines, we require you to have an appropriate consultation (now telephone or video link, followed by face to face as necessary) prior to performing most tests. It is compulsory to have consent for some tests which have serious implications, such as HIV testing, to ensure you understand the significance of the results. Even straight-forward tests may have significant consequences, therefore we strongly advise a consultation to discuss any issues relating to the test or results.
7. What vaccinations will I need before traveling and how long in advance should I have them?
There is a wide range of vaccinations and anti-malarials which are recommended for travelling to different countries around the world. It is worth checking with your doctor or online to find out which vaccinations are appropriate to your trip because the recommendations can change depending on outbreaks in the region. It is important to note also that your needs may change according to the duration of your trip and your personal health condition. We recommend that you start planning the vaccinations and anti-malarials which you require at least 12 weeks in advance of your trip, to receive the most effective and safe treatment. Since the Coronavirus outbreak, it is advisable to check each country's requirements re-vaccination against Covid-19 viruses.
8. What benefits can I receive from The Frater Clinic in addition to the consultation?
Following your consultation with the doctor, you may be provided with some booklets containing health advice that are appropriate to your needs. They cover a broad range of information on many health aspects such as blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking and how to achieve a healthy, balanced diet. These can be a useful accompaniment to the doctor’s advice and it is something you can keep which can be referred to in the future.
Where they are available and appropriate, you may be provided with, or guided to, accredited electronic patient information sheets. The latter method has been used during the Pandemic.
9. I do not feel unwell at the moment but I would like to find out if I have any hidden health problems which can be treated early to avoid more serious conditions in the future. Do you offer health screening?
Our primary objective at The Frater Clinic is to help our patients to maintain their physical and mental health for as long as possible by carefully assessing their lifestyle and giving appropriate advice, and carrying out the relevant examinations and investigations. We provide a health screen which is tailored to suit each person’s needs.
We believe that health screening can prevent the emergence of life-threatening conditions by identifying the signs at an early stage. In this way, one is able to have treatment, make necessary lifestyle changes or have regular check-ups in the future to minimise the risk of advanced disease and poor outcome.
Clearly, not all diseases are preventable. However, lifestyle issues can be effectively assessed and modified, thereby dramatically reducing key risk factors. The overriding philosophy of The Frater Clinic is that by early detection of a potential problem, risk can be reduced through the appropriate precautions and interventions.
Sexual health screening is very important, especially at present, with there being a rise in the incidence and prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases recently. We recommend a general sexual health screen for anyone who has had unprotected sex with someone who is not known to be free from sexually transmitted diseases. Most of these diseases can be easily treated when detected early but if not, they can lead to very serious consequences such as infertility.
We advise regular screening if you feel you have a strong family history of a disease or you are aware of symptoms that could be indicative of disease. During the Pandemic, many patients have deferred their annual health screen. However, with the successful population uptake of the Covid-19 vaccines, the Clinic is now open for face to face consultations as appropriate.
10. Do you offer abortion services?
The Frater Clinic does not offer this service but we suggest contacting the British Pregnancy Advisory Service for advice at www.bpas.org or on 08457 30 40 30.
11. Do you offer both the single and combined MMR vaccines?
We consider that the combined MMR vaccine is safe and effective. Despite this, we are very aware that many parents have concerns surrounding the combined vaccine due to its (unproven) association with autism and other possible side-effects. As we believe strongly in patient choice, we favour offering the single MMR vaccine, which means three separate vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella. We feel that this is a safe and important alternative for families who would not have the combined vaccine as we recommend that all children are vaccinated by some method. However, it is currently difficult to access and acquire the full set of individual vaccines.
12. Can I not inform my GP about my visit to the Frater Clinic?
Any information you disclose to us will be treated as strictly confidential. The Frater Clinic will not disclose any personally identifiable information to your GP without your written consent. Patients who have a different GP must formally give consent for The Frater Clinic to inform their GP of any treatment or medication provided by the Clinic. Only with written consent will copies of any results and reports concerning you be forwarded to your GP. However, it is recommended that you give consent for the clinic to inform your GP regarding your care at the clinic. You can request copies of any letters sent to your GP concerning you.
13. Is it possible to have a chaperone of the same sex present during the consultation?
Every patient attending The Frater Clinic will be offered a chaperone for any examination. That includes all gynaecological, breast or rectal examinations or procedures and investigations undertaken by a clinician. You have the right to a chaperone being present during any examination or procedure. For men, it means occasionally having two women present (eg. the doctor and a female chaperone). The chaperone will speak to you privately first to gain your consent and agree procedure. The chaperone can be provided or alternatively, you may request one from elsewhere e.g your embassy.
14. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):What are my rights?
Patients have a right to their health records in line with the GDPR which came into effect on 25th May 2018. The 8 rights it gives to individuals are :
- To be informed of who has access to their information (Privacy notice).
- Right of access to their information held.
- Right of rectification ie. To be able to correct any errors in held information.
- Right to know where and how information is held.
- Right of erasure (under certain conditions only).
- Right to restrict processing of their information.
- Right to data portability.
- Rights in relation to automated decision making and profiling.
With regards to the right to have access to the personal information we hold about you, if you would like to learn more about accessing this information, please write to the Medical Director and Data Protection Officer, Dr Nelda Frater, at 94 Harley Street, London, W1G 7HX.
To make an appointment, please telephone 07801 925 724 (from outside the UK, call +44 (0) 7801 925 724) or Email: [email protected].
Clinic Address: 94 Harley Street, London W1G 7HX
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