Cambridge Hospital

Cambridge Hospital FAQs

• How long would it take me to get an appointment?
  We endeavour to ensure all private patients will be seen within a few days and at a time that is convenient for you. Our appointments are designed to be flexible around your needs and activities.
• Can I see a consultant for an appointment after work or at the weekend?
  Our outpatient services operate from 08:00 - 20:00 Monday to Friday and Saturday 08:00 - 13:00. Post-operatively, if a consultant decided they needed to see a patient urgently this would be co-ordinated by our out of hours team. The hospital is open 7 days a week, 52 weeks of the year for our patients’ convenience.
• Can I choose which consultant I wish to see?
  Yes, as a private patient you can choose your consultant all the consultants are listed on the website.
• Do you offer treatment for children?
  Some consultants will see children, it is best to call and check before you make an appointment.
• I am coming to the hospital for a procedure what do I need to know?
  Please read our patient guides on MRSA and reducing your risk of developing a blood clot.
• Would my surgery be conducted by a junior doctor?
  No, our hospital only works with consultants and therefore you can be assured of the highest level of clinical care. Your appointments, surgery and follow-ups will be conducted by your consultant.
• What are your hospital infection rates?
  Cambridge Hospital is vigorous in its cleaning standards and keeping our hospitals clean and free of MRSA and C.difficule is a top priority. As a result, the risk of infection to patients is very low.
• When can my family visit if I am an inpatient or day case patient?
  We are open for patient visitors between 7am and 8pm. This includes 2 visitors per patient on the ward and 1 visitor per patient in the day case suite at any one time.
• Is there parking available?
  We have free on-site parking, please register your vehicle on the tablets at any of our reception desks.
• Is there accommodation nearby where my family can stay?
  Should your relatives or friends wish to stay locally there are a number of hotels and bed and breakfasts which we can recommend. Unfortunately we are unable to accommodate your visitors overnight.
• I am disabled/require assistance during my visit, who do I need to tell?
  Please let our staff know your requirements when you contact us. We are happy to make suitable arrangements before your visit. If you would like to bring a friend or family member, please feel free to do so.
• Services for patients and visitors with visual impairment
  • Braille signage has been installed in the passenger lift and on the disabled lavatory door at reception
  • Most of the hospital areas include features recommended by the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB)
  • Staff will be happy to talk through brochures with you
• Services for patients and visitors with hearing impairment
  Hearing induction loop systems are provided at reception for the assistance of patients and visitors with hearing impairments.
• Services for patients who require assistance with interpreting
  We can provide telephone interpreting services through The Big Word. Please let us know if you require assistance with this.
• Do you offer visitor meals?
  Your visitors (max 2) are welcome to dine with you and can choose from our daily menu. Orders for dinner should be provided to the ward serving staff by 4pm.
  
  Please note that visitors’ meals are chargeable, and these will be added to your room account unless you advise otherwise.
• Do I need a referral?
  Most of our consultants now require a GP referral, this is in the patient's best interest as it will bring your consultant up to do date with the issue. You would need to see your GP, or one of our private GPs, who will then make a referral to see one of our consultants. For cosmetic surgery consultant appointments seeing a GP first is not essential but it is still recommended.
• Can I book an appointment online?
  You can now book online with most of our consultants. Just search for the consultant on our website and you will be able to book an appointment.
• Do you offer a private GP service?
  Cambridge Private Doctors hold clinics here at the Nuffield Cambridge, click here to find out more and book an appointment or call 01223 967995
• Do I need a referral to have a diagnostic test?
  Yes, a referral Is needed for you to have any type of diagnostic test done, your consultant will refer you for any test required after your clinic appointment.
• Can you recommend a consultant?
  We are unable to make recommendations, a full directory of our consultants can be found on our website.
• Do you book appointments for all consultants?
  We do not hold all the diaries for our consultants, in some cases their medical secretary's book for them and we will provide you with their contact information.
• Do you provide health insurance?
  We do not provide health insurance, all providers of this can be found online.
• Do you provide medical loans?
  Nuffield Health does not provide medical loans however we do work closely with a finance company, and we can provide you with their detail if you wish. More information can be found here.
• When will I receive my personalised quote for my procedure?
  After your initial consultation the medical secretary will contact our quotes team who will provide you with a written quote. This will either be emailed or sent to you in the post. If you decide to go ahead, payment will be required in full 7 days before your procedure.
• What type of patients do you see at the Nuffield?
  We treat privately paying patients, patients with medical insurance and we also do some work for the NHS.
• What do I do if my NHS GP cannot provide a referral?
  You can contact the private GPs who will be able to help you.
• Is there a way we can learn more about the procedures and what is involved?
  We hold free open events at the hospital where you can meet the consultant and find out more about a procedure and what can be expected with regards to recovering and any complications that could arise. Click here to see the list of our current events.
• Can I have blood taken by your hospital?
  We offer a blood service to have blood tests performed you will either need a blood form from your consultant or you can book the blood tests you need via Pathology Direct; this service allows you to pick your own tests, pay for them and then book them online to attend the hospital.
• How am I charged for an outpatient consultation as a self-pay patient?
  If treatment is undertaken during a consultation in our outpatient’s department you will receive two invoices; one from the consultant for their time and expertise and another from the hospital for the use of consumables, equipment used and staff assisting, plus the blood tests. These two invoices will be sent out separately and are to be paid to either the consultant or the hospital.
  
  Before any blood tests you would be asked by an outpatient nurse to sign an outpatient charge sheet, this will record the blood tests being taken and the fee, this will be included in the invoice as mentioned above.
• How am I charged for an outpatient consultation as an insured patient?
  Before coming for your appointment please speak to your insurance company to confirm what tests and treatments are covered by your policy and ask for your authorisation code. Always keep your insurance company up to date on any treatment suggested by your consultant during your outpatient consultation to ensure this is recorded for them to cover you.
• How do I notify a change to my personal details that are recorded at Nuffield Health Cambridge Hospital?
  On booking an appointment either via your consultant's secretary or via the Nuffield Booking Team, remember to inform them of any changes, however small. These will also be changed on the Terms and Conditions document you will be handed as you arrive for your appointment.
• I am the parent/carer of a child that is coming into hospital for a procedure, where can I find more information about anaesthesia?
  You can find patient information resources from the Royal College of Anaesthetists by clicking this link.
• Why do you need a swipe of my card?
  As part of your treatment with us and to ensure we can support you as quickly and smoothly as we can, we will need to take a swipe of your bank card before your procedure. We’ll not take any money without your prior knowledge and will only process information in compliance with our data privacy policy.
  
  In line with point 4 “Payment Terms” on the “Agreement to Terms and Conditions” form completed prior to attending appointments at Nuffield Health Hospitals, although method of payment is agreed at booking, should there be any change in situation, Nuffield Health requires assurance that costs for treatments and procedures will be met.
  
  We can take a physical card inc AMEX, we also accept Apple or Google pay.
• Will my card be billed unexpectedly?
  No. No money will be taken without first providing an invoice identifying the amount and allowing you to make payment or discuss further if required.
• Will my payment to the consultant be taken from this swipe?
  No, this will be invoiced separately by the Consultant via their secretary.
• What if I can’t/don’t want to provide a swipe of my card?
  You will not be able to proceed to treatment if payment has not been completed prior to your appointment date.
• Do I need to pay with this card? Can I still pay by other means?
  If you are the payor for your treatment, you can fulfil the invoice by whichever means works best for you with agreement of the hospital site.
• Will my card information be shared with anyone else?
  No. We don’t store credit card details in any of our systems. We use credit card tokenisation whereby cardholder data is automatically converted to a string of random numbers called a “token.” This means that the original data is unreadable in the event of a data breach or other exposure. Tokens cannot be reverse engineered and card data is never displayed to Nuffield or anyone else.
• You have decided to proceed with surgery - what happens next?

  Immediately following your consultation, we will ask you to:

  • Complete your health screening questionnaire
  • Have relevant blood tests & investigations performed
  • Have your height and weight checked

  Once we have your results, we will contact you to book your pre-assessment appointment and organise your date for surgery.

• What do I need to know before coming into the hospital?

  You can find detailed information about coming into the hospital here. For a printable version, download it here.

• What should I expect when going home after my procedure?

  Get guidance on post-procedure care here. For a printable version, download it here.