[roseandrob]

Hello

Would love some advice from anyone who went to Cromwell Hospital in London for their medical.

My partner went yesterday, I was initially told it would be 260 with a 1 week wait. When he went to pay, the doctor told him it was 260 for the medical, a two week wait, and then another 40 pounds to release the medical to him when he came to collect it in two weeks. So altogether he paid 300 (not including the 15 pound hospital fee for paying by debit card!?). I called the same hospital twice before booking and was quoted 260. So in total it was 315 pounds.

Can anyone tell us if this is what they paid?

Feel like we were taken for a bit of a ride!

Thanks

[benhila]

Hi Roseandrob,

We had a very similar experience. When I argued with the doc about the 'extra' £40 per head he demanded, pointing out that it was allegedly for an extra doc appointment (I came alone to pick-up both Ben's results and mine - why should we pay £80 more?) he laughed and 'settled' for £60 so we ended-up paying £580 altogether. A strange way of doing business in a reputable private hospital....

Regards,
Benandhila

[dharder]

Would love some advice from anyone who went to Cromwell Hospital in London for their medical.


I went there, paid £300 in total, and was told it was 260 (maybe?) for medical exams and the rest for chest x-ray. It sounded about average as far as cost is concernced (well, average as far as London goes), and since they pretty much offered an appt for the next day, I thought it was fine.

So I think that is what they charge, though I can't remember the hospital fee.

Daniela

[roseandrob]

Thanks for your replies - I'm definitely not arguing over the actual cost as £300 still seems to be the average (£260 definitely too good to be true!), but I don't think they should quote £260 and then once you are there whack another £40 on! Why not quote £300 from the beginning!

Rose

[dharder]

but I don't think they should quote £260 and then once you are there whack another £40 on! Why not quote £300 from the beginning!

Maybe it was just an oversight? I remember being told it would add up to £300 and maybe more if the examination result was that you required extra blood test.

Good luck with everything :)

Daniela

[nickydwuk]

I was told it was £260 and then if you neede any extra test it would be another £40. We are booked at the end of March but I think I will call them this week to clarify. At the end of the day £300 is still less than those more local to me were charging.

[nickydwuk]

Just spoken to them again and they have confirmed that the cost is £260 including bloods, medical & x-rays. However if something comes up at the medical that the doctor feels may be an issue with INZ he may suggest extra test at an additional cost. As regards collecting the medicals I was told I could get them couriered to me for £10.

[benhila]

Unless they fired the doc who did our meds on 21/01/08 ( Dr El Shami Maged) I fear that you are in for a surprise.... He insisted on charging £40 per head (Ben wasn't even there to collect his results and did not require any additional tests, I gave another urine sample which was tested on the spot). When I questioned the charge, the doc said that 'although he enjoys making people happy by giving them a helping hand on their way to a new life, he still works to make a living, not for charity'. As I said before, I 'negotiated' him down to £60. And no, I was not offered a receipt. I can't wait to hear about your personal experience after the end of March! Good luck!

[roseandrob]

I don't think £300 is excessive when you consider its a small cost towards the rest of your life... but

By the sounds of it some people pay £260 some £300. I just think they should be consistent in what they charge people and what they charge people for!

[Will_2007]

We used the same doc as benhila, at the Cromwell, they quoted us £260 each, and that's all we paid. Booked a slot, went in, 30 mins each including x-rays, went back a week later to collect the results. No mention of this extra payment. We paid by cheque, so no extra fees for that either.

[nickydwuk]

.... at the Cromwell, they quoted us £260 each, and that's all we paid. Booked a slot, went in, 30 mins each including x-rays, went back a week later to collect the results. No mention of this extra payment. We paid by cheque, so no extra fees for that either.

They have quoted us £260 all inclusive too. They did say there was a 4% charge if paying by credit card so my cheque book will be making an appearance!!. The only extra payment that has been mentioned is a possibkle additional £40 if extra tests are needed (hopefully not) and if we want the results couriered to us instead of us collecting there will be a charge of £10.

[roseandrob]

I thought I'd give the hospital a quick call to clarify and apparently it is £260 for the medical itself and £40 to collect the medical although seems they don't like to mention the £40 until after you've had your medical!

So I guess it just depends on who you get and what kind of a mood they are in! :roll

Oh well, life goes on!...

[Will_2007]

I thought I'd give the hospital a quick call to clarify and apparently it is £260 for the medical itself and £40 to collect the medical although seems they don't like to mention the £40 until after you've had your medical!

So I guess it just depends on who you get and what kind of a mood they are in! :roll

Oh well, life goes on!...

Very odd, I can understand the £10 for courier-ing the results to you, but £40 to go and pick them up??? I know which I'd opt for!!

[roseandrob]

Personally we've had a terrible experience with Cromwell Hospital. We went to pick the results up on Saturday (the agreed date). The department was shut, the doctor wasn't there, the receptionist was rude and unhelpful and repeated several times her shift had finished and she wasn't meant to be there and told us we would have to come back another day. Eventually she called the doctor on his mobile, the doctor appeared 2 minutes later (was obviously in another department). The medical wasn't ready, nothing was signed off, we left without the x-rays because the x-ray department was closed. Not the best service but done now! Fingers crossed we won't be asked for the x-rays!

[nickydwuk]

We've just had our medicals at the Cromwell. They had quoted £260 each including x-rays & normal blood tests. As there were 5 of us they said to expect it to take 3 hours. We all arrived, then were split into 2 groups - boys for x-rays & us girls for medicals. My daughter has a phobia about needles and having blood taken. He couldn't get blood first time so instead of sending her to phlebotomy (who would have charged £20) he got his senior colleague to take it. Success!! I was worried about my waist (had been fluctuating between 87cms & 92cms all week). He measured it twice and said he would try to get it in the limit so I didn't need more tests. He made it 84cms so no extra test. When it was the boys turn he told us that as my youngest was 13 he would not need bloods. When I booked I was told he would. In the end the only extra test was for OH - he has tattoos so the doc said he needed Hep C (he never saw mine!!) He did try to tell me that as I was going to be a nurse in NZ I too would need Hep C but I told him the agency and hospital had not asked for this and if they wanted it they would do it when I arrived so we scrapped that. When we discussed collecting them the question of an additional £40 each to collect was raised. This was because we had to book an appointment with the doctor so he could discuss the results. But as we were one family he said he would only charge us the one fee. So instead of paying £1300 as expected - in all it will cost us £1220 - a saving of £80. And it only took us 1 and a half hours. I was happy - but have yet to collect them.

[catt]

Glad to hear everything went well for you Nicky......good luck on the results :clap