Bernadette Phelan (BP): The medical concierge centre is essentially a single point of contact within HCA UK, and our primary role is to facilitate admissions into the HCA UK network. Our team comprises experienced specialist nurses and patient liaison officers, providing 24/7 support.
One phone number and one email address connect patients and their representatives, such as relatives or doctors, directly to us, ensuring they speak to a person, not a machine, at any hour. We accept referrals from various sources – consultants, clinicians, embassies and GPs – as well as patients themselves.
Our core pillars include bed-to-bed international transfers, adult and paediatric National Health Service (NHS) transfers, acute admissions and corporate elite screening. In particular, we’ve seen significant growth in NHS transfers, from more than 127 NHS Networks.
We facilitate transfers from across the UK, ensuring quality assurance and patient safety through a robust process: obtaining patient consent for clinical notes, utilising an image exchange portal, allocating a specialist case manager, consultant review and acceptance, insurance authorisation and organising private ambulances for transfers into HCA UK hospitals.
Our patient referrals typically come from international and UK consultants, GPs, embassies, international SOS, large corporations and clients themselves.
We have a substantial international presence, having assisted patients from over 70 countries. The breadth and depth of HCA UK’s offerings – including state-of-the-art equipment, advanced cancer treatments, multidisciplinary teams, genomic testing, robotic surgery and innovative therapies – are crucial. We focus on the patient journey, providing wraparound care that is highly valued, as reflected in our patient feedback.
For acute admissions, our 24/7 service allows GPs to admit patients directly to any one of our Acute Admissions units across London, where care can be expedited, avoiding lengthy waits. Similarly, our corporate and elite screening services are personalised and seamless.
Annabelle Neame (AN): We've established a 24/7 domestic ambulance service and a trusted network of air ambulances, including neonatal intensive care. Internationally, our service is exceptional, particularly when dealing with emergencies such as accidents, strokes or heart attacks. Relatives or consultants often contact us in a state of panic, unsure of what to do. It’s incredibly rewarding to bring someone home safely.
BP: Our international transfer service is comprehensive – we handle everything, from arranging transport to keeping families informed. The service ranges from intensive care unit transfers to arranging transport for patients with less critical needs. For complex cases, we ensure multidisciplinary collaboration and prioritise the patient's best interests, making sure the patient transfer is both ethically and medically advisable. Our nursing perspective is patient-centric and driven by a commitment to providing the best possible care.
AN: Our international network has expanded significantly. Global mobility is increasing and more people than ever have international private medical insurance, enabling them to choose where they receive treatment. We mostly receive domestic privately insured patients, but we also assist self-pay and internationally insured patients, as well as those supported by embassies.
The trend of seeking treatment abroad is growing, with factors influencing this choice including language, visas, governance and expertise. The UK has become one of the world’s most prominent hubs for medical tourism, valued for both its governance and the expertise of its specialists.
We prioritise patient choice, matching patients with the best subspecialists and most appropriate facilities. Where we cannot provide a particular service, such as inpatient psychiatric care, we have strong third-party referral relationships.
BP: Our reputation for high-quality care and proximity to world-renowned NHS teaching hospitals has enabled us to partner with consultants that have established reputations across the globe as leaders in their field of medicine. We have more than 3,500 consultants, the majority holding posts in the NHS.
A good example of the value of this expertise came with a very complex brain tumour case, where we were able to gain the input of four professors from our HCA UK network who collaborated and helped to develop a treatment plan. It was phenomenal to have access to their collective knowledge and experience.
AN: In the UK, we distinguish ourselves by having a network of hospitals with excellent intensive care facilities, enabling us to handle complex cases. Internationally, our strength lies not only in our own network, but also in our relationships with major hospitals worldwide. We've earned the trust of clinicians globally, ensuring patient safety and quality care.
Shared learning experiences and care are also vital. Historically, international patients would need to stay abroad for extended periods, but we’re promoting collaboration between multidisciplinary teams to facilitate shared care. This has been incredibly rewarding.
We also cater for VIPs – from royalty and diplomats to film stars and elite athletes – ensuring discretion and confidentiality. We also work closely with organisations dealing with ultra-high-net-worth individuals, understanding their specific needs, particularly regarding privacy.
AN: We deeply respect patients’ cultural needs, wherever in the world they are from. Every single member of our staff, from doctors through to our kitchen team, receives cultural awareness training during their corporate induction, so it's something we take seriously.
We also work very closely with a specialist translation company to provide medical notes and other documents in the patient’s own language, as well as offering interpreters who can work with our medical team. Patients from countries where English is a commonly used language – such as India or Nigeria – frequently opt to come to the UK, rather than going to other destinations, due to the language benefits.
BP: One of the things I love about our concierge service is that, by managing the logistical challenges of admissions and keeping things moving, we allow clinicians to focus their attention on patient care.
AN: Speed of service is also very important to people, particularly if they're concerned about a medical issue and want to be seen quickly, but patient safety remains paramount. Ensuring a patient is stable and fit to fly, for instance, requires careful coordination and agreement from multiple parties. It’s very satisfying to bring everything together, particularly when we’re dealing with complex cases.
Our motto is to say ‘yes’ to every request and then find a way to fulfil them, embracing the challenges and working hard to deliver exceptional service. Both Bernie and I come from a nursing background, so we have a keen understanding of the needs and concerns of patients, ensuring they receive world-class care.
BP: I feel immensely proud and honoured to be in this position, and sometimes I pinch myself and think “Do I really have a job like this?”. I love being able to help so many people in this way.
For more information on HCA Healthcare’s UK Medical Concierge Centre:
Visit: www.hcahealthcare.co.uk/patient-and-visitor-information/hca-uk-concierge-centre
Email: enquiries.concierge@hcahealthcare.co.uk
Call: +44 (0)20 3993 1994
