Any doctor fully registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) – in accordance with the provisions of the Medical Act 1983 – is entitled to set up in private medical practice. Doctors with provisional or limited registration cannot practise without supervision.

Private medical insurance companies rely on specific benchmarks, including the need to be on the GMC’s Specialist Register or the doctors job roles and responsibilities held in NHS posts.

There are no specific rules covering job titles used in private practice, except for the GMC guidelines which says that doctors do not mislead patients. The term ‘medical director’ is a common term used in the private sector however in the NHS the term medical director relates to a defined role profile.

By law – private hospitals have very strict criteria for awarding practicing privileges to doctors using their facilities to assure patients that they are being seen by fully-trained registered specialists.

Many new consultants will wish to undertake a certain amount of private practice in parallel with their NHS work or work solely in private practice. As a private practitioner, a consultant will be self-employed. For others they may also work for or set up a private organisation to provide contracted NHS services as an Independent Provider.

Anyone undertaking private practice will be required to pay a higher medical indemnity premium, and must make sure that their private work does not conflict with their NHS contract.

It is for the individual consultants to determine their own fees themselves for the patient they see directly or those of the health insurers of the private patient.

Anyone considering conducting private practices should consider the matter fully before embarking on it. Although it provides financial and other rewards, it demands the very highest ethical, clinical and financial standards and the private practitioner must always put patient care, quality and safety ahead of financial gain. They must also consider their legal obligations and relationship between private and NHS work, best practice and patient pathways interactions including advertising and the use of social media.

The code of conduct for private practice contains additional obligations relating to scheduling and best practice for arrangements. Compliance with this code is one of the criteria for pay progression.

All dermatology doctors undertaking private practice as an individual or as the responsible organisation for the practice must be registered with the CQC.