Yes, if you have private health insurance, a GP can refer you to a specialist or consultant. If you have Bupa health insurance, you don’t always need to see a GP first. If you’re worried about cancer, mental health or a muscle, bone, and joint condition, you can call Bupa directly. Our trained advisers will check your symptoms and explain your next steps. Whilst on the call, they may refer you to a specialist without the need to see a GP.
We may also accept referrals from other healthcare practitioners. See a full list of referrals we accept.
If you need an onward referral this will need to be covered by your policy. We’ll check that any referrals for consultations, tests or treatment are covered. This means we’ll look for anything we can’t cover and if the costs are within your allowances. You can also find these details in your policy guide and certificate in My Bupa. You'll still need to pay your excess and any fees that your policy doesn’t cover.
If it’s not covered by your policy you can choose to self-pay or use an NHS service.