Question 1

Do I need a referral?

Accepted Answer

No. Anyone can book an appointment to see Dr Dawkins. In practice it is helpful if your GP is involved in your decision to arrange a consultation, and some insurers will require a GP referral in order to authorise your visit, but if you would simply like to self-refer and have a discussion then you can do so.

Question 2

How do I arrange an appointment?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 3

How quickly can I be seen?

Accepted Answer

Dr Dawkins holds clinics several times a week, so a new appointment is usually available within a few days. For urgent issues, an initial consultation can often be arranged within 24 hours — by telephone, video, or in person, depending on what works best for you. If a procedure is needed, this can often be carried out within a week or two, though it depends on having all the necessary information and on the relevant multidisciplinary discussions taking place first. A consultation is usually around 30 minutes, though it varies a little depending on the situation being discussed.

Question 4

Can my first appointment be online?

Accepted Answer

Yes. If you are travelling a longer distance and would like to have a preliminary discussion, it is perfectly reasonable to have an online discussion in the first instance. If you have had previous imaging carried out, we can get that transferred across for review before your consultation so we have all the relevant information to hand. In some instances we have an initial discussion online and then you come to one of Dr Dawkins's clinic locations for the investigations and to go through the results with Dr Dawkins. That can be quite an efficient way of working.

Question 5

Do you see international patients?

Accepted Answer

Yes. International patients are welcome, and Dr Dawkins sees them regularly. If you are travelling to the UK, you are welcome to see Dr Dawkins in person at Cleveland Clinic London or at the Nuffield Manor Hospital in Oxford. You also have the option of a triage video or telephone call with Dr Dawkins beforehand, where you can talk through your case and what he may be able to offer. That conversation lets us coordinate streamlined care for your trip, so you make the most of your time in the UK. If we have the right information up front — and access to your previous investigations — then where a procedure is needed we can usually arrange for the consultation, any missing investigations, and the procedure to take place within a few days of each other on a single visit. To set up a triage call, please email Dr Dawkins's secretary at clinic@samdawkins.com with a brief summary of your situation and any previous reports you can share.

Question 6

What should I bring?

Accepted Answer

If you have one, please bring a referral letter from your GP or referring specialist. It is also helpful to bring: A list of your current medications, with doses Any recent test results, scan reports, or clinic letters from previous specialists A short note of the main concerns you would like to discuss If you have had echocardiograms, CT scans, or other imaging at another hospital, please let us know in advance — we can usually arrange for those images to be transferred for review before your visit, so the discussion makes the most of your time.

Question 7

Can a relative or friend attend?

Accepted Answer

Yes, absolutely. Please bring anyone you would find helpful — a partner, family member, or friend. If someone would like to join but cannot be there in person, it is fine to dial them in by phone or video call from the consultation. We are happy to make either work.

Question 8

What can I expect during my visit?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 9

What if I disagree with the recommendation, or want to push back?

Accepted Answer

Please do. The best clinical decisions in cardiology come from a conversation, not a one-way explanation. If something does not sit right with you, if you have read about a different option and want to know whether it might apply to your situation, or if you would just like to think through an alternative out loud, you are very welcome to bring it up. There is no need to feel awkward about disagreeing with the recommendation — treatment decisions in cardiology, particularly around procedures, watchful waiting, or the timing of intervention, almost always involve trade-offs worth talking through openly. Dr Dawkins values being challenged, and finds that patients who are actively involved in the decision tend to be happier with the outcome.

Question 10

Can Dr Dawkins offer a second opinion?

Accepted Answer

Yes. It is very common for patients to ask for a second opinion, and you really should not feel anxious about doing so — Dr Dawkins is asked frequently, 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.

Question 11

What happens after the clinic visit?

Accepted Answer

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. For follow-up questions you can email Dr Dawkins's secretary at clinic@samdawkins.com.

Question 12

Can I access my records online?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Cleveland Clinic London — which administers Dr Dawkins's practice in both London and Oxford — uses Epic for its electronic patient record. As a patient you will get access to MyChart, a website and mobile app where you can view your medical records and investigation results. You can also message Dr Dawkins directly through the platform.

Question 13

What happens if I need urgent care?

Accepted Answer

For urgent inpatient care, Dr Dawkins admits patients to Cleveland Clinic London, where his inpatient practice is based. The hospital has an acute admissions unit equipped to manage cardiac problems alongside any other medical issues that need investigating at the same time, and a 29-bed intensive care unit if higher-level care is needed. If you develop urgent symptoms after your consultation, please contact the Cleveland Clinic London Contact Centre on 020 3423 7500. If it is a medical emergency, dial 999.

Question 14

Fees and insurance

Accepted Answer

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. Dr Dawkins is recognised by all major UK private health insurers, including: AXA PPP Healthcare Aviva Aetna Bupa Healix Healthcare Simplyhealth Vitality Health Westfield Health WPA Self-paying patients are also welcome. Dr Dawkins's practice is administered by Cleveland Clinic London, both in London and in Oxford, and you will be invoiced by them for consultations and procedures. If you have investigations carried out in Oxford — such as ECG, echocardiogram, or CT — these will be invoiced separately by the Nuffield Manor Hospital.

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