The home of private general practice
Welcome to The Private GP Forum, the home for the latest industry news, resources and systems for private general practice.
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With you at every step
Wherever you are with private general practice, start with the question most GPs ask at that stage.
Stage 1: Curious
Is private general practice for me?What the work involves, how it differs from NHS general practice, and whether you can do both.Stage 2: Deciding
Which route suits you?Regulation, indemnity, fees, and whether to go it alone or join an established clinic.Stage 3: Setting up
Getting ready for your first patientRegistration, premises, equipment and the systems you will need before opening.Stage 4: Running
Seeing patients day to dayWorking alongside the NHS, taking payment and staying ready for inspection.Stage 5: Growing
Growing your practiceFinding patients, the rules on advertising, adding services and recruiting.
Resources
We collaborate with leaders across the industry to compile the latest insights and learnings on how to run a best-in-class private general practice.
Systems & suppliers
Clinical systems, pathology labs, compliance tools and the other services private GPs rely on, and what each one does.
Compliance
Tools that help your practice stay compliant and evidence it to the CQC.
Clinical supplies
Pharmacy wholesalers, laboratories and the suppliers that keep clinics running.
Patient Records & Clinical Systems
Electronic health records, prescribing and clinician-to-clinician communication.
Business operations
Billing, accounting, marketing and customer service for a private practice.
Latest news
Keep up to date with private general practice: industry news, practical tips and system updates.
- Systems
Picking an electronic health record system
Many private clinic systems are customer-management tools with a notes field. Most private GP patients also use the NHS, so pick a system built around the clinical record that helps you share information with their NHS GP.
- Getting started
Starting off in private practice: I'm a GP, but what next?
To work for an existing private clinic you mainly need your GMC licence, a route to appraisal and revalidation, and indemnity that covers private work. To run your own service in England you also need CQC registration, which takes a few months but is manageable with preparation.
- Tips
How should private GPs send prescriptions to patients?
Private GPs cannot use the NHS Electronic Prescription Service. For patients who are not in the room, a private electronic prescribing service is usually the quickest safe option. Schedule 2 and 3 controlled drugs still need a paper FP10PCD in England.