4 PRICES TRACKED
Private specialist consultation
An initial consultation with a private consultant, usually before any scan or treatment. The consultant fee is separate from the hospital.
Every price we track (hover a dot)
The gap: advertised vs actually paid (medians)
People reported paying 90% more than the advertised list price for specialist consult.
List prices are advertised prices; paid figures are what people reported, often for different cases and from a small sample so far. Treat the gap as a signal, not a quote.
Quoted vs actually paid (real submissions)
The strongest signal there is: what one person was quoted, and what the same job actually cost them.
- quoted £275↔paid £2750%
Poster went private for a rheumatologist due to long NHS waits, after an NHS MRI suggested ankylosing spondylitis.
| Year | Region | Provider | What it was | List | Paid | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | UK unspecified | Private hospital | Private initial consultation (specialist/nurse assessment)Practice Plus Group initial consultation; includes nurse assessment, bloods, swabs, x-ray if needed | £145 | — | source |
| 2026 | UK | Unknown | Private initial consultation (any specialty)Practice Plus Group fixed initial consultation fee, separate from any surgery package price. | £145 | — | source |
| 2022 | UK | Unknown | Private consultant initial consultation (survey average)Average across about 600 UK medical practitioners surveyed July to August 2022 across 8 locations; follow-up average was £130. London runs about 27% higher. | £195survey avg | — | source |
| 2025 | UK | Unknown | Private rheumatologist consultationPoster went private for a rheumatologist due to long NHS waits, after an NHS MRI suggested ankylosing spondylitis. | — | £275quoted £275 | source |
Common questions
How much does specialist consult cost in the UK?
Across 4 real UK prices, the median is £170, ranging from £145 to £275. These are published prices and bills people actually paid, not estimates.
Why do specialist consult prices vary so much?
Private hospitals set their own self-pay prices, and the consultant's fee is usually separate from the hospital's. The same operation can differ by thousands between providers and regions.
How can I pay less for specialist consult?
Get fixed-price self-pay quotes from two or three hospitals, ask whether the consultant fee and follow-ups are included, and check independent clinics as well as the big groups.
Related free guides
- How much does a private specialist consultation cost in the UK? →
- How to get a straight private self-pay price →
- How much does a private GP appointment cost in the UK? →
- How much does a private MRI scan cost in the UK? →
- How much does a private CT scan cost in the UK? →
- How much does a private ultrasound scan cost in the UK? →
Methodology: prices here are published prices and bills people reported paying. Each row says which it is, with a link to the source where one exists. We never estimate and no sponsor can touch a number. Spot an error? Tell us and we will fix or remove it fast.