How do you see different specialists?

If you wanted to see a dermotologist or a nutritionist, do you have to go through your GP? I am clueless when it comes to stuff like this, all I know is that I have a doctor but it always takes weeks to make an appointment.

I wanna see people about stuff such as losing my hair or changing my diet, but I don't want to phone the surgery and make an appointment because it seems like im wasting the doctor's time.

Can you somehow make appointments with specialists directly?

Reply 1

Helenia

No, you have to be referred by a GP. For starters, they'll want to discuss your problem with you first and see if there is anything they can do for it first. Next, they know your medical history and so will be able to give details to a specialist which they wouldn't know if you applied direct to them. It's not wasting the GPs time - referring people is part of their job!

Reply 2

Naxalite

through your gp

EDIT: obsolete

Reply 3

Fluffy

Or, if you go private you can often approach a relevant specialist.

Reply 4

eurasianfeline

I don't how it works in other places, but in HK...most of the specialists would requir a referral letter from your GP. However, in some cases, people can also directly go to a specialist.

I saw my dermatologist directly without going through a GP, and many people in HK often go to their gynaecologists or paediatricians directly without referrals from GP. Most of the time, it's only when the doctors specify they only see referred cases (usually the really good/renowed ones) that people would have to go through GP's.

I guess different places' medical systems work differently. :rolleyes: