What equipment do I need as a private GP?

Premises

To practice as a private GP, you will need a location to work from. This could be your home, a purpose-built private practice or a room in a private hospital.

Wherever you work, you will need to ensure you have the correct registration, insurance and practicing privileges.  

The premises should comply with CQC guidance and be accessible, private, soundproof and adhere to health and safety regulations.

You will need seating for yourself and the patient, appropriate lighting and a clock.

If you have a reception area or waiting room, you will need to make sure there is a way for colleagues to be able to call for help should an emergency arise.

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Medical equipment

You will need sufficient PPE to ensure safety for both you and the patient and the usual equipment carried in a doctor’s bag.  

You will need to have emergency drugs and equipment such as oxygen, first aid kits and vital signs monitors.  

Any procedures you are carrying out such as taking blood will need to be provisioned for, and if you are offering vaccinations you will need to be able to purchase and store these appropriately.  

Digital equipment

Patient records, whether electronic or paper, should be stored securely.  

Clinical systems such as EMIS, an electronic healthcare record system, can be used to enable better, safer and more efficient patient care and to keep all your patient notes in one place.

You may wish to create a website for your services and offer online booking and payments. Software such as Hero Health will allow you to set up these systems and manage your practice dairy and finances digitally.