NHS waiting lists exceeding 7.6 million patients have created the largest opportunity for private medical practice in UK history. For doctors who want to practise medicine on their own terms, see fewer patients with more time, and earn what they are worth — setting up a private practice in 2026 is both achievable and increasingly attractive. This guide covers every step from registration to your first private patient.
Who Can Open a Private Medical Practice in the UK?
Any doctor fully registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) under the Medical Act 1983 is entitled to set up in private medical practice. You do not need to inform the GMC separately about private work, but you must follow GMC guidance on your duties as a doctor. If you hold an NHS consultant contract, you must disclose your private practice to your employer, adhere to your NHS job plan, and never see private patients during contracted NHS time.
Step 1: Choose Your Business Structure
Sole Trader
The simplest option. You register as self-employed with HMRC, keep all profits, and bear all financial risk personally. Note that income above £100,000 carries a 60% effective marginal rate due to personal allowance tapering — a key reason many high-earning consultants move to a limited company structure.
Limited Company
A personal service company (PSC) or medical Ltd is the preferred structure for most established private practitioners. Corporation tax (25% for profits above £250,000) is lower than higher-rate income tax. Requires an accountant experienced with medical practices — this is essential.
Partnership
If setting up with colleagues, a formal partnership agreement is essential. Under UK competition law, you must not discuss fee rates with colleagues outside a legally binding business arrangement with them.
Step 2: Mandatory Registrations
Care Quality Commission (CQC)
If you are providing regulated activities in England (which most clinical services are), you must register with the CQC before you begin. Registration fees range from £598 to £1,700+ depending on size and service type. Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have equivalent regulators. If you are renting rooms within an already CQC-registered private hospital, you may be covered under their registration — confirm this with the facility.
Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
Any doctor holding patient data must register as a data controller with the ICO and pay the annual data protection fee. This is a legal requirement under UK GDPR. Registration is straightforward online.
HMRC
Register within three months of starting your practice. Most medical services are VAT exempt, but you must monitor your turnover against the £85,000 VAT threshold for any taxable services.
Healthcode
If you plan to see insured patients, register with Healthcode — the secure billing system used to submit invoices to UK private medical insurers. Required for Bupa, AXA Health, Aviva, Vitality, and WPA billing.
PHIN (Private Healthcare Information Network)
Consultants performing procedures in private hospitals must submit outcome data to PHIN. Your private hospital will guide you through this process.
Step 3: Medical Indemnity
You must have adequate indemnity before seeing a single private patient. Your NHS indemnity does not cover private work under any circumstances. The main providers are the Medical Defence Union (MDU), Medical Protection Society (MPS), and Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland (MDDUS). Costs range from £1,500 per year for low-risk specialties to £40,000+ for high-risk surgical specialties. Also consider income protection insurance — you have no sick pay as a private practitioner.
Step 4: Private Medical Insurer Recognition
The majority of UK private patients use private medical insurance (PMI). To treat insured patients, you need specialist recognition from the major insurers: Bupa, AXA Health, Aviva, Vitality, and WPA. Most require GMC specialist registration and a substantive NHS consultant post (current or recent). Apply early — approvals take 4–8 weeks. Many applications are now submitted via the Healthcode Private Practice Register (PPR).
Step 5: Premises Options
Private Hospital Consulting Rooms
Most UK consultants start here. Spire, Nuffield Health, BMI Healthcare, and HCA UK all offer consulting room rental by session. Infrastructure and reception support are included. Low-risk to start, lower-margin at scale.
Dedicated Medical Buildings
Harley Street and equivalent medical districts in Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham, and Edinburgh offer professional consulting rooms by the hour, half-day, or day. You provide your own administrative support.
Independent Clinic
Leasing your own premises gives you full control and brand identity. London medical space runs £15–£35+ per sq ft per year. A 1,200 sq ft clinic costs £18,000–£42,000+ annually in rent. Requires your own CQC registration as a provider.
Telehealth
Virtual consultations are now standard in UK private practice. Use UK GDPR-compliant video software with UK-based data hosting.
Step 6: Setting Your Fees
You may set your own fees for private work. You must not discuss fee rates with colleagues unless in a formal business arrangement. Typical UK private practice fees in 2026:
- Initial consultation: £150–£600 (specialty and location dependent)
- Follow-up consultation: £80–£350
- Procedure fees: vary widely by specialty
Some insurers specify rates they will reimburse. Review insurer fee schedules as part of your pricing research.
Step 7: Practice Management Software
Essential from day one. Requirements for UK private practitioners:
- UK GDPR compliant with UK-based data hosting
- Appointment scheduling and online booking
- Electronic patient records and letter dictation
- Healthcode integration for insurer billing
- Patient portal for secure document sharing
Cost: approximately £90–£135/month for a solo practitioner.
Step 8: Administrative Support and AI Automation
Without NHS infrastructure, every administrative task falls to you: answering patient calls, booking appointments, chasing GP referrals, dictating letters, submitting insurance claims, and managing results. A full-time medical secretary costs £35,000–£45,000+ per year. Outsourced secretarial support runs £20–£30 per hour.
An AI voice receptionist offers an alternative for handling the call answering, appointment booking, and patient FAQ load without the full cost of a secretary from day one. AIMamoth deploys AI receptionists for UK private practitioners that:
- Answer every patient call immediately, 24 hours a day including evenings and weekends
- Book appointments directly into your calendar in real time during the call
- Answer FAQ questions — fees, referral requirements, what to bring, insurance acceptance
- Collect new patient intake details before the appointment
- Send appointment reminders to reduce DNA (did not attend) rates
All AIMamoth deployments for UK healthcare include full UK GDPR compliance documentation, UK-appropriate data handling, and ICO-compliant call recording and storage.
Step 9: Building Your Patient Base
The three most important factors in building a successful UK private practice are the ‘3 As’: Availability, Affability, and Ability. In the early months, availability is the most controllable and most impactful.
- GP relationships: Most private consultant work comes via GP referral. Write to local GP practices introducing your specialty and availability.
- Private hospital visibility: Ensure your listing in the hospital directory is complete and up to date.
- Online presence: List on Top Doctors, Doctify, and your specialist society’s directory. Build a professional website with your specialty, conditions treated, and booking information.
- Availability: A missed call is a lost patient. Being immediately reachable — or having an AI that answers on your behalf — is a genuine competitive advantage.
UK Private Practice Startup Cost Summary (2026)
| Cost Item | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Medical indemnity (per year) | £1,500–£40,000+ |
| CQC registration | £598–£1,700+ |
| ICO registration (annual) | £40–£60 |
| Practice management software | £90–£135/month |
| Accountant (annual) | £1,500–£5,000+ |
| Consulting room rental | £100–£400 per session |
| Medical secretary | £20–£30/hr outsourced |
| Website setup | £800–£3,000 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need CQC registration to see private patients in England?
Yes, if providing regulated activities. If renting rooms within an already CQC-registered facility, confirm whether their registration covers your activity. Setting up your own independent clinic requires your own CQC registration as a provider.
Can I open a private practice while still working for the NHS?
Yes. Most UK private practitioners balance NHS and private work. Disclose your private practice to your NHS employer, adhere to your job plan, and never see private patients in NHS time. You need separate indemnity for all private clinical work.
How long does Bupa and AXA recognition take?
4–8 weeks typically. Apply early as this is often the longest single step in the setup process. Most applications are submitted via the Healthcode PPR.
Can AI replace my medical secretary?
AI can handle the call-answering, appointment-booking, and FAQ functions of a medical secretary, freeing you from those tasks at a fraction of the cost. For complex clinical correspondence, billing queries, and detailed administrative tasks, human support remains valuable. Many private practitioners use AI to handle their phone line while using a part-time human secretary for correspondence and billing.
Running a Private Practice? Let AI Answer Your Calls.
AIMamoth deploys AI voice receptionists for UK private medical practitioners — answering every patient call 24/7, booking appointments, and handling patient FAQs. UK GDPR compliant. Live in 48 hours.