Private GP vs NHS: what's the difference?

What stays the same

• Qualifications. Private GPs used by regulated services are the same GMC-registered doctors practising in the UK — many work across both NHS and private settings.
• Your NHS registration. Using a private GP doesn't mean leaving your NHS surgery. You keep your NHS GP, your records, your ongoing care — nothing about that changes.
• What they can do. A private GP can assess, diagnose, prescribe, and refer, in the same way an NHS GP can.

What actually differs

• Speed of access. This is the main one. NHS booking is often limited to certain hours, with same-day slots released once daily. Private GP services — particularly 24/7 ones — let you speak to a doctor at 9pm on a Sunday or from a hotel room abroad.
• Appointment length and continuity. NHS GP appointments are typically short by necessity, given patient volumes. Private consultations often allow more time to talk through a concern properly, though you may see a different GP each time rather than "your" GP.
• Cost. NHS GP care is free at the point of use. Private GP access is paid for — either per consultation or, more commonly now, via an annual subscription that covers unlimited use.
• Prescriptions and referrals. Both can issue prescriptions (private prescriptions are usually paid for at the pharmacy, unlike NHS ones) and both can write referral letters to specialists.

So which do you actually need?

For long-term condition management, repeat prescriptions tied to your history, and anything where continuity with one doctor matters — your NHS GP remains the right base.

For the gaps — evenings, weekends, travel, or simply not being able to get through when something's bothering you — a private GP is a genuine complement, not a replacement. Most people who use both aren't choosing one over the other; they're using whichever one answers the phone.