Before making contact
Have you tried the simple things? If the pain has only been present for a short while and there is an obvious reason for it, perhaps it will settle on its own? E.g. If you have some low back ache from ‘overdoing the gardening’, then taking things easy for a few days and some simple over-the counter-painkillers from the chemist and a hot bath might solve the problem.
However, if pain is severe or persistent despite simple measures then the reverse is true. Under these circumstances it is wise to consult your family doctor who may deal with the problem for you. If necessary you can be referred to us for assessment and treatment.
If you are going through an insurance company for your treatment please contact them for guidance on how they wish you to proceed. It may be that they would like you to have a formal referral from your GP or specialist, or they may be happy for you to book in directly with us.
If the insurance company agrees to the appointment they will give you an ‘authorization number’. This will be for the initial consultation. If investigations or treatment is recommended, it is always wise to check that these will also be covered by your policy. If you are self-funding, then you may be asked to pay on the day of consultation.
Your appointment
If unfamiliar with central London you need to plan your journey. Please see our Contact us page, as this will give you our specific locations – note that we have two, one in Harley Street and one in Wimpole Street. Regardless of the time of day always give yourself plenty of time it always takes longer than you expect. If you need to park nearby, then you will need to pay Westminster Council by mobile phone with your credit card and this can take 5 minutes or more. It is good to be a little early for your appointment to fill in your contact details form, make yourself a drink and relax.
Reception
Your initial appointment will be at our outpatient offices at 79 Wimpole Street (Mondays-Thursdays) or 116 Harley Street (Fridays). This facility is part of an extensive number of buildings managed by The London Clinic Hospital.
On arrival, please present to the main reception in the foyer. Ask For ‘Dr White’ and you will be directed to the appropriate waiting area. You will be presented with a form to fill in for which you will require:
Your contact details
- Your family doctor / GP details
- Insurance / Sponsor information
Consultation
Please bring the following to your consultation:
- A written list of ALL your medications including dosages.
- Any relevant x-rays or scans on CD-ROM, if not available, then the reports are some help.
- Any relevant recent correspondence (if there is a large amount of correspondence that you feel is important you may consider sending it to me, well in advance of your appointment so that I can read through it.
- If part of the plan is for me to perform a SIMPLE injection in my consulting room, then you really do not want to be driving and should bring a friend or relative with you.
Investigations
At your consultation you will be assessed and investigations such as blood tests, MRI scans, x-rays or nerve conduction studies may be necessary. Most of these investigations have to be booked as they take time, often more than an hour. The facility we use will be dependent on your personal preferences, your insurance company, timetable and convenience.
Once the investigations have been performed and reported, we will have a second meeting to discuss the findings and to plan your treatment programme.
ALWAYS bring the CD with your scan images with you, as this ensures that we have the results and pictures to show you in event of a technical error.
Late arrivals for appointments
Your consultation time is 30 minutes. If you are running 10 minutes late, then we will just have to be ‘time efficient’. If you are more than 10 minutes late, then there may be inadequate time to make the appropriate and necessary assessment. In these cases, if you have been delayed by unforeseen circumstances, we would be prepared to TRY and see you later during the clinic if time became available. However, in a busy clinic with no spaces between the 30 minute consultations, it is not really fair to make every other patient thereafter run late. It would then be necessary to re-book for another day.
I do try to be flexible for older patients, the frail and those coming long distances, but it is not always possible. If I am running late myself, then I will always give you the necessary time back.
