HOW TO SEE THE SPECIALIST YOU WANT

IT’S a little-known secret, but under the NHS Constitution, patients in England have the right to choose where to receive their NHS treatment — which means you can ask to have your treatment in any hospital or clinic anywhere in the country if it has the necessary expertise.

Your GP can help arrange a referral to the specialist of your choice.

You (and your doctor) can access the electronic national referral service, called the NHS e- Referral Service, which allows you to select your hospital or clinic as well as the date and time of your first appointment.

This is not a guarantee that you will see a specific consultant — and there may be a waiting list for that specialist. You must also consider other practical reasons for not travelling too far; if you need hospital treatment, you might not want to be hundreds of miles from family and friends.

Many of the specialists in our guides also work in private practice, so seeing them privately may also be an option.