Why go private?
According to figures from NHS England, nearly 300,000 people were referred for urgent cancer checks under the NHS 28-day Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS) in September 2025.
With one in two people expected to get cancer in their lifetime, there’s never been a more important time to access care as quickly as possible.
Accessing your private health insurance for cancer care not only enables you to be seen without delay, but it also helps relieve the overall burden on the NHS, meaning others can be seen quicker too.
Using your private health insurance for cancer care
Studies have shown that people who are diagnosed and treated early for cancer are more likely to have better outcomes. Whilst it can be a worrying time, it’s important to see your GP as soon as possible if you notice any symptoms, you think might be cancer. Often tests and scan results come back negative, but it’s best to get things checked and get the answers you need so if any treatment is required you can start as soon as possible.
Whether you’re experiencing symptoms or have already received a cancer diagnosis, you can ask your GP to refer you to one of our many cancer consultants or surgeons at your local GenesisCare outpatient centre. We treat every type of adult cancer, with treatment often starting within days of a diagnosis.
To use your private health insurance, follow these three easy steps:
- Ask your GP for a referral
- Check your policy covers what you need and call your health insurer for a pre-authorisation number. If you've not been referred to a specific consultant, we work with many experienced and leading expert surgeons and oncologists specialising in cancer diagnosis and treatment Meet our doctors
- Call our contact centre team and they can help you make an appointment. They’ll also explain what you’ll need to have ready, such as your insurer details and pre-authorisation number and the name of the consultant you want to see. Our team are here to help you with all the details
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If you want to know more about how private cancer treatment works or you're ready to make an appointment
Getting a diagnosis
If you’re concerned about symptoms, you can visit one of our consultant-led outpatient clinics. We’ll carry out any tests or scans you need to diagnose the cause of your symptoms and give you the results either during your visit, or we’ll arrange a follow-up appointment to discuss them once they’re back. A GP referral isn’t always necessary for these diagnostic clinics, including one stop breast clinic, prostate cancer tests and scans, and rapid access head and neck service.
If you aren’t displaying any signs or symptoms of breast cancer but would like the reassurance of an additional screening alongside your usual NHS screening program, we also offer rapid access to private breast screening from the age of 40.
Exclusively at GenesisCare, we offer rapid MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans for women with dense breasts. It's an advanced screening technique which is better able to detect breast cancer in women with dense breast tissue - available at GenesisCare centres in Oxford and Windsor.
FAQs
Many people decide to get the treatment they need privately, even after a diagnosis or initial treatment, such as surgery in their NHS hospital. Usually, it’s because they want the choice of who they see and where, and to start their treatment without delay. The process is simple, just ask your GP or consultant to refer you to one of the consultants who work with us who’ll provide you with a personalised treatment plan.
If you’ve had cancer treatment elsewhere and would like to talk to another doctor, you can arrange a consultation with one of our experts. We work with many leading cancer experts including oncologists and surgeons who specialise in treating every type of adult cancer.
Your GP or consultant can refer you for a second opinion, or we can support you in finding one of our cancer specialists who can help.
If you have private health insurance, you’ll need to check if second opinion appointments are covered through your policy.
At GenesisCare we’re proud to be the UK’s leading independent provider of cancer care. From symptoms to specialist care and treatments, our expert oncologists, surgeons, and cancer nurses assess every patient and design treatment plans carefully tailored to ensure you achieve the best possible outcome.
Our 14 centres across the UK are equipped with the latest technologies and we work closely with regional and national cancer experts to introduce the latest ways to treat cancer from around the world which are proven to be safe and effective.
Because we treat you and not just your cancer, as a patient at GenesisCare you can expect to receive the very best care and a personalised treatment plan that incorporates life-changing approaches such as wellbeing therapies through our unique partnership with Penny Brohn UK and exercise medicine.
From diagnosis to survivorship, we’re here to support you.
A One Stop Breast Clinic provides all diagnostic services at a single location.
If you are worried about any breast cancer symptoms, we can see you within as little as 24 hours at one of our comprehensive One Stop Breast Clinics in Windsor, Maidstone, Milton Keynes, and Oxford. This means that the entire investigation is completed in one visit.
The service proudly links three teams to provide patients with the best possible care: surgeons, radiologists, and pathologists, in case a biopsy is needed. If the biopsy is performed, patients are seen regarding their results within 5 working days, so that a potential treatment plan can be developed as soon as possible.
In Urology Hub, we diagnose and treat all urological conditions affecting the bladder, kidneys, urethra, and prostate. Our specialists manage a wide range of conditions such as urological cancers, kidney stones, enlarged prostate, erectile dysfunction, urinary changes or incontinence, and other urinary symptoms.
Although Head and neck cancer is rare, our Rapid Access Head and Neck Service provides prompt assessment for people with unexplained symptoms affecting the head, neck, mouth, or throat. These can include lumps, swelling, facial numbness or weakness, swallowing difficulties, unusual mouth changes, such as ulcers or patches, or changes in voice.
Pathology tests examine cells, tissues, and organ function to help diagnose disease, assess symptoms, and monitor how well treatments are working. At our state-of-the-art centres, we provide comprehensive pathology services across multiple specialities, utilising advanced diagnostic techniques.
The tests include blood tests, biopsies, genetic testing, colposcopy (examination of the cervix), cystoscopy (examination of the bladder using a thin camera), urine cytology (examination of cells in urine), and urodynamic studies assessing how well the bladder and urethra store and release urine.
At GenesisCare, we offer comprehensive imaging services, including mammography, ultrasound, CT, MRI, PET-CT, and SPECT-CT, to quickly detect and diagnose conditions and monitor treatment progress. These scans use technologies such as X-rays, magnetic fields, sound waves, or radioactive tracers, and are performed and interpreted by specialist radiologists.
Costs range from £250 for a mammogram or £290 for an ultrasound to up to £3,500 for more advanced PET-CT scans. Our imaging services are available to patients with health insurance as well as those paying for their own care.
Yes, you can use GenesisCare services as a self-payer. This means you can pay for consultations, scans, diagnostics, and cancer treatments directly without private insurance. The team can also explain costs and treatment options before you proceed.
Treatment is provided at GenesisCare specialist cancer centres, where patients can access diagnostics and outpatient cancer treatments such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
View all centre locations here.
Reviewed by:
Dr Eliot Sims
Chief Medical Officer for GenesisCare
July 2023
Our patient reviews
Diana’s story
When Diana was diagnosed with lobular breast cancer, she knew it was important to start treatment quickly and was glad she’d kept her private medical insurance going after she retired.
David’s story
When David received a raised PSA blood test and needed further tests, he used his private health insurance to access the very latest prostate cancer biopsy procedure.
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