This page covers the practical side of seeing Dr Dawkins — arranging an appointment, what to expect on the day, fees and insurance, and follow-up.

How do I arrange an appointment?

Dr Dawkins has private clinics at Cleveland Clinic London and at the Nuffield Manor Hospital in Oxford. The Cleveland Clinic London Contact Centre books appointments for both locations: 020 3423 7500 (Mon–Fri 07:30–20:00, Sat 07:30–15:00) or cclappointments@ccf.org. For non-booking enquiries, please email Dr Dawkins’s secretary at clinic@samdawkins.com or call 020 3423 7483.

We prefer it if you are referred by your GP (NHS or private), as they co-ordinate your care and need to be kept informed of your appointments and any subsequent investigations. Most insurance companies will only authorise an outpatient appointment if you have been referred by a GP. Self-paying patients do not need a referral.

Once you have booked your appointment we will send you the appointment details in writing (usually by email), with confirmation of expected fees.

What can I expect during my visit?

On arrival at the hospital, you will check in at reception and be directed to the Cardiology area. Most patients will need an ECG (an electrical recording of the heart) which is carried out first.

During your consultation, Dr Dawkins will take a careful history, examine you, and review any previous test results. Most patients will then have a transthoracic echocardiogram at the same visit. Some patients will also need a CT scan, which can be arranged at the same time or another day.

Do you offer telephone or video consultations?

Yes. Dr Dawkins offers telephone and video consultations. A first clinic visit is usually best face-to-face, but if you would prefer a virtual consultation please ask. Please check with your insurer that virtual consultations are covered. If you can send any test results you already have in advance, a telephone or video consultation can work well — particularly for follow-up discussions, second opinions, or to talk through the implications of a recent admission or scan result.

Can Dr Dawkins offer a second opinion?

Yes. Dr Dawkins is frequently asked for second opinions, particularly in complex cases. It helps if you can provide as much of your clinical documentation as possible before the visit (clinic letters, test results, scan reports). If you have had echocardiograms or other scans elsewhere, please let us know which hospitals carried them out so we can request the images for review.

The most common reasons for a second opinion include:

• Following a hospital admission, where you would like to go through the test results and longer-term implications in more detail.
• Where you have been offered (or not offered) a particular treatment and would like to talk through the rationale — for example bypass surgery (CABG) versus PCI, or whether to close a patent foramen ovale (PFO).
• Where you have a complex cardiac condition and would like a fresh perspective on past events and future management.

What happens after the clinic visit?

You will receive a clinic letter from Dr Dawkins outlining the discussion and the results of any tests. If any test results are still awaited he will write separately with these. We send all clinic correspondence by email if you have provided one, and copy all results to your GP unless you ask us not to. If a result is likely to need explanation, a follow-up appointment (often by telephone) may be recommended. Some heart conditions need regular surveillance (e.g. every six or twelve months); if so, we will be in touch a month or so before each follow-up is due.

Fees and insurance

We confirm expected charges before the appointment. Predicting the exact tests required for a new patient can be difficult; if further tests are recommended, we will confirm the price at the time. There is no pressure to have additional tests on the day if you would rather not — though most patients prefer the convenience of having them done in one visit.

If you have private health insurance and your visit is authorised, most insurers allow direct invoicing, which we do on the day. If there is a difference between the cost and the amount your insurer will pay (a “shortfall”), this is invoiced to you. Some insurers do not allow direct invoicing — in that case we invoice you and you claim back from your insurer.

You will usually receive an invoice from Dr Dawkins (consultation or procedure fee) and a separate one from the hospital (for tests and any procedural charges). For procedures requiring an anaesthetist or imaging expert, you will receive an additional invoice from them. Self-paying patients can ask for a package price covering everything in advance.

Dr Dawkins’s billing is managed by Medserv: medserv.co.uk, 020 3384 1952, info@medserv.co.uk.