Choosing private cancer care
In London, the NHS teaching hospitals offer excellent cancer care and this is why we work so closely with them and follow their guidelines to develop our own private HCA cancer care network. However, some of the best cancer care in the world is also provided in private hospitals such as ours and many patients would like the option of choosing private treatment for these reasons.
- Our consultant-led approach means you see a top specialist throughout your treatment.
- You have fast access to treatment, sometimes even the same day.
- You have access to the most comprehensive range of treatments, including some of the world's most advanced technology and all available cancer drugs.
- You have more control over where and when you have your treatment, through our six closely linked central London hospitals and four outpatient and specialist treatment centres.
- You receive your treatment in the privacy of a clean, comfortable hospital environment.
If you choose private treatment, then you will discover that there are some important differences in your care, differences that many patients find makes the whole experience easier, less stressful and more positive.
Because of this patients are often more optimistic about their outcomes and we are pleased to say that is frequently with good reason. Although cancer may never be completely curable, there are many factors that can improve treatment success rates.
One of the most important things for anyone with cancer is to find a well-recognised doctor who specialises in that type of cancer, has wide experience and who is at the forefront of cancer care.
All of our specialist oncologists and surgeons are experts in their field and hold, or have recently held, senior NHS posts in top London teaching hospitals, or a leading international hospital.
They choose to treat their private patients in our hospitals because of the facilities we provide which means they can practise at the leading edge of cancer care.
You can find a list of specialists and consultants on this website or by contacting our dedicated call centre, HCA Connect, on 020 7079 4344.
The specialist or specialists that you meet at your first appointment will stay with you throughout your treatment. You will see them regularly and even when you don’t, you know that they are actively involved in your care and are guiding your progress and giving direction to the team of nurses and clinicians who are caring for you on a day-to-day basis.
You will also find that the nurses, radiographers, physiotherapists, pharmacists, dieticians, complementary therapists – everyone who makes up your care team - will also become familiar faces. Each has specific expertise in cancer care so they understand what you are going through and can give you their personal time, attention and total support as you go through your treatment.
In our six hospitals, outpatient medical centres and specialist units in London, we offer all the latest leading-edge treatments, expertise and drugs for cancer treatment. There is no other private cancer centre in Europe that has such a comprehensive range of latest generation technology and treatments.
This is because HCA hospitals are the only group of private hospitals to specialise in cancer and we spend tens of millions of pounds every year to make sure that the care we provide meets a world-class standard. We treat every type of cancer and because we have six major hospitals, closely linked, every patient has access to this very large and high calibre pool of expertise, knowledge and resources.
We know that many people do not realise that their private medical insurance or critical illness insurance may fund cancer treatment. Although insurance companies and policies do vary, patients are often surprised and relieved to find that their medical insurance policy does give them the support they need – at the one time when they most want to use it.
Find out more about how to use your private medical insurance.
From the moment you are referred to HCA hospitals the process of making a diagnosis and starting treatment can be as little as 48 hours. In many instances we make appointments for patients the following day and we can usually carry out most of the tests you need and arrange for you to meet your specialist all at one appointment.
There are very good reasons why we do this:
Firstly, this is to avoid unnecessary fear and anxiety at a time when patients are feeling very vulnerable.
Secondly, it has been proven many times that the earlier diagnosis is made and treatment is started, the better the overall outcome for the patient.
Most cancer experts now recognise that a successful approach to treating cancer is one where the patient is completely involved with their care plan.
With HCA, you have the option to make choices about how, where and when you receive treatment; you will know what to expect and you will be given all the information you need to feel empowered to challenge, ask questions or even change your mind.
