Key Takeaways:
- Booking privately doesn’t require a GP referral first, though it’s still worth bringing one or a biopsy result if you already have one.
- How soon you are seen depends on current availability at the hospital you choose.
- An e-consultation can give you an initial opinion before you’ve even travelled in, useful if you’re trying to judge urgency from a distance.
- How quickly surgery itself happens after your consultation depends on diagnosis, theatre availability, and which of the three sites suits your procedure.
Booking Mohs surgery privately removes the referral step in the NHS route. How soon you are seen depends on current availability, and how fast you are treated after that depends on your diagnosis.
Miss Rakhee Nayar, a Consultant Plastic Surgeon and Mohs Micrographic Surgeon, sees both self-referred private patients and those who’ve already been referred by a GP or dermatologist.
How private booking differs from the NHS pathway
How to schedule a Mohs consultation in the UK covers the NHS route in detail: a GP examines the lesion, decides whether to refer routinely or urgently, and only after a specialist assessment is surgery actually booked. That structure exists for good clinical reasons, but it does add time.
Booking privately skips that referral gate. You can contact the clinic directly and be seen without first going through a GP, though if you already have a referral letter or biopsy result, it’s still worth bringing it.
Do you need a referral to book privately?
No. Self-referral is the normal route for private patients. A referral letter or previous biopsy result simply gives useful context and can occasionally speed up the first appointment, but its absence isn’t a barrier to booking.
How fast can you actually be seen
It depends on current availability at each hospital, so ask when you enquire. An e-consultation offers a remote initial assessment of a lesion before you travel in, which is a useful first step for patients further afield or those simply trying to judge how urgent their situation is.
Miss Nayar sees private patients at two hospitals, Circle Cheshire in Northwich and Fairfield in St Helens. Circle Cheshire, Fairfield or St Helens Hospital explains how to choose between them.
What happens between booking and your first appointment
Once you’ve booked, you’ll typically be asked to confirm a few practical details, which site you’ll attend, whether you’re paying privately or via insurance, and any referral letter or biopsy result you can forward in advance. None of this usually delays the appointment itself.
What can affect how quickly you’re seen
A few things can shift the timeline slightly: how urgent the lesion appears, which site has the next available slot, and ordinary pressures like holiday periods. None of these usually turn days into weeks, but it’s fair to ask directly when you book if timing matters to you.
From consultation to surgery, how fast can treatment happen
This is where the honest answer gets more specific to you. If the diagnosis is already confirmed from a previous biopsy, surgery can sometimes be arranged relatively soon after your first visit. If a new biopsy is needed first, that adds its own short wait for results before a surgery date is set.
Insurance & Self-Pay covers how payment is arranged either way, since that’s usually settled well before a surgery date is confirmed rather than on the day.
| Step | Typical private timeframe |
|---|---|
| Booking a consultation | Depends on current availability |
| e-Consultation (optional) | Remote opinion before travelling in |
| Consultation to biopsy result (if needed) | A short wait for laboratory processing |
| Confirmed diagnosis to surgery date | Depends on theatre availability at your chosen site |
FAQ
Can I book without seeing my GP first?
Yes. Private self-referral doesn’t require a GP referral, though bringing one, or a previous biopsy result, is still useful if you have one.
How soon can Mohs surgery happen after diagnosis?
It depends on theatre availability and which site suits your procedure, but once a diagnosis is confirmed, surgery is often arranged considerably sooner than typical NHS waiting times.
Does paying privately guarantee faster surgery than the NHS?
It usually means faster access to a consultation and more flexibility over timing, since NHS treatment is also offered free where patients meet the clinical criteria. The main difference is speed and choice, not a different procedure.
Can I get an opinion before travelling in for an appointment?
Yes, an e-consultation allows an initial remote assessment of a lesion before you make the journey, which is often a useful first step for patients further afield.
Recommended
- About Dr Nayar
- The NHS referral route is covered under how to schedule a Mohs consultation in the UK
- Insurance & Self-Pay: Private Mohs Surgery UK
- Circle Cheshire, Fairfield or St Helens Hospital: Where to Be Seen Privately
Filed under Choosing Your Care
