Your questions answered

Can I choose which HCA hospital I am treated at?
We will try to treat you at the hospital nearest to you. Usually this is possible with surgery and specialist consultations. Some specialist diagnostics or treatments are only available at specific HCA hospitals, so you will have to travel a short distance for these appointments.

What if I have already started my treatment?
It is not usually a good idea to disrupt your current treatment as it can sometimes be detrimental to your progress. NHS doctors are very good in their field and any doctors you will see at HCA hospitals do hold NHS posts. We recommend that you and your family discuss any concerns you have with the specialist whose care you are under, about your feelings and concerns, before you make any final decisions about progressing privately. Current policy for the NHS means that you cannot mix private and NHS treatment, so you can’t have free NHS treatments at the same time as you are receiving private treatment.

However, ultimately, you are the patient and the choice is yours. If you do decide to transfer to private treatment we will work closely with your doctors to decide the most appropriate time to transfer you.

What if I’m offered a treatment that my insurance company won’t pay for?We advise you to check with your insurance company prior to treatment what they will cover.  If cancer is included then they will usually cover your main treatment and therapies, e.g. surgery and chemotherapy.  At HCA we work with all insurance companies to avoid these types of situations and on the occasions when treatment is not covered, we try to reach an agreement with the patient’s insurance company to achieve a solution.

Some policies also restrict follow-up check-ups as well as treatments such as physiotherapy or ambulance transfers.

Can I have some of my treatment privately and some on the NHS?
The NHS does not allow patients to mix NHS and private care simultaneously, for example by purchasing drugs which are not funded by the patient’s local NHS Primary Care Trust and having them administered in an NHS hospital.

However, it is possible, subject to your specialist’s guidance, to have parts of your treatment privately and parts of it in the NHS.  Your specialist will be able to advise on what is possible for you and your circumstances.

How much does treatment cost?  Can I pay for it myself?
A full course of treatment could cost between £15,000 and £50,000. The main four elements of cancer treatment are surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, diagnostic tests and scans. The mix of these elements varies from one patient to another. You will also need follow-up scans and consultation for five years to ensure there is no reoccurrence of your cancer. 

HCA can provide an estimate of costs before treatment commences, but this is often subject to change as treatment progresses.  We do not provide any financing options ourselves and we suggest that you seek specialist advice before taking out loan finance.

I’m not happy about the treatment I’m receiving elsewhere. What can I do about it?
It is not usually a good idea to disrupt your current treatment as it can sometimes be detrimental to your progress. However, it is very important that you and your family are confident about the people that are caring for you and the treatment you are being given and therefore you may want to ask for a second opinion.

You should always check with your GP or specialist that HCA treatments are appropriate for you.

If you have further questions about cancer or cancer treatments, visit www.cancerbackup.org.uk or www.cancerresearchuk.org