#Questions to ask your doctor before your operation

Each year thousands of people in the UK undergo private surgery, paid for by their health insurance or paid for by themselves (self-pay surgery). Before selecting your surgeon, or agreeing to go ahead with a private operation, it's important that you are fully informed. There are benefits to every operation; but there are also associated risks.

Our checklist of questions to ask your doctor will ensure that you get the feedback you need to make an informed decision about going private for your operation. Take this checklist to your consultation or write out your own list of questions. Ask the doctor if you can record the consultation so that you can play it back afterwards. (It's a stressful situation; people often forget much of what they have been told or fail to take it in.)

Questions to help you decide on whether to have surgery

Questions about the hospital or clinic

Questions about the payment terms

Questions about the operation

Questions about after the operation and recovery

Making the decision

• Do you have any advice leaflets or video material about this operation that I can use?
• Are there any published papers about this operation that you would recommend?
• Are there any web sites that you recommend that would be informative?
• What are the risks involved in this operation? How likely are these risks?
• How much improvement can I expect from this kind of operation?
• What can I expect if I decide not to have the operation?
• What are the alternative treatments/options to having the operation?