PrivateGP Mission
Private GP is not the usual GP service
Private General Practice in the UK commonly refers to one or two like minded doctors providing an added service to NHS provision in a hired room. An alternative is the limited service based in some private hospital suites. One or two Private GPs still provide the traditional "open all hours" service to bespoke clients with deep pockets.
Our company will provide all the traditional elements of Primary Medical Care, but will add to this new technologies, new relationships with the NHS and private providers, and new ways of providing care. We favour the free market in healthcare, and advocate corporate independent practice to encourage quality and competition. We do not close our lists, and will work with the NHS to provide best practice, preferred network referral, care management and outcome measurement. Managed care and chronic disease management are seen by us as the way forward for providing an integrated one-stop service building on the best of the NHS and the independent sectors.
Genepoint FAQs Healthcare Chambers FAQs Health Consumer FAQs
Genepoint FAQs
Why is genetic testing featuring in a private general practitioner service so prominently?
Genepoint analysis provides information - but forms only a part of full lifestyle assessment and is not intended as healthcare guidance on its own.
Where are these services available?
Why should I bother testing my genes
if it means I may learn I am at risk from certain illness?
The profile is aimed at informing you in how to keep healthy, and provide guidance at a fundamental biochemical level – many other factors will intervene in your life to influence ultimate health or illness.
If you have a tendency to high cholesterol, having an impaired form of MTHFR
gene may well contribute to this - and with that knowledge you can make
modifications in your diet. If you have a normal variant MTHFR however, this
does not mean you are not at risk of heart disease - if you carry excess stones,
smoke and live on high fat foods your risk is even higher.
We do not test for genetic diseases which have Mendelian or other relatively simple inheritance patterns – nor do we test for polymorphisms in genes which are associated with multiple biochemical pathways which may include illnesses for which there is no cure
If clients wish to use other markers of illness to make a clinical diagnosis, this is the purpose of the extended Matrix package; if clients do not wish to learn about their genetic profile, we would recommend making use of the Lab panels and Enhanced tests only.
I already attend health screening - what does this assessment add?
Genomic assessment is the cutting edge of health screening- it detects possible inherited weaknesses in your health profile years before they become established as illnesses.
For personal patients of the PrivateGP services, all personal details are kept within the guidelines of the Data Protection Act.
We do not have any link with insurance companies, and do not release any
form of data to any third parties.
If established illness is diagnosed by the doctor, or if you know all about
your problems already, we follow the current clinical guidelines recommended in
Clinical Evidence, a copy of which will be available to you
Genepoint Matrix examinations use both the genomic assessment and the full range of traditional medical test and clinical investigations - this package is literally the fullest heath assessment package we know of in primary care medicine.
No amount of dietary modification will affect your ability to metabolise or manage different medications - the Medicinals profile is the only safe way to gain insight into this area.
The Genepoint service is just one of the approaches we take to providing bespoke personal healthcare – we seek to integrate traditional examination and consultation methods with the cutting edge genomic science
PrivateGP service model makes use of the most appropriate investigations for
your need – we do not carry out tests which yield no useful information
, and do not recommend diagnostic examinations which will not add to
your treatment or lifestyle options
For background reading: Your Genes, Your Choices describes the Human Genome Project, the
science behind it, and the ethical, legal, and social issues that are raised by
the project. This book was written as part of the Science + Literacy for Health
project of the
American
Association for the Advancement of Science
In addition, our Geneducation pages will over time build into a valuable resource for information and guidance of both public and professionals in this area
Where can I find current debate about
genetic testing?
Genepoint profiling is a tool to help assess potential risks and possible flaws within an individual’s DNA. It shines new light on some adverse aspects of diet, lifestyle and metabolism which may, in some people, interact with the world around them to permit or promote illness. It is only one of many techniques for looking at risk – Genepoint informs and educates, it does not make a diagnosis nor a prediction.
In no circumstance should a genepoint profile result be interpreted as a diagnosis of illness.
What are the Healthcare Chambers?
These are high quality consulting rooms providing a range of services in the private sector.
All the Healthcare Chambers comprise a mixture of hospital consultants and general practitioners, providing an integrated service for diagnosis, treatment and referral; often there are links with the premier local private hospitals, diagnostic facilities and areas of medicine not easily found in community health centres or GP surgeries.
Who works in the Chambers?
General Practitioners who are associates of PrivateGP will usually be the landlords or owners of the premises. The consultants who make use of the Rooms may also be associates providing a group service to the community or Primary Care Trusts, or simply renting part of the Chambers as a consulting room.
Why do these Chambers exist?
PrivateGP has pioneered the use of the Chambers model of practice often found in the legal profession, to make a diverse one stop shop of different specialisms available on a local community basis. In addition the Chambers model provides much needed service to local healthcare needs. Local consultant access is particularly attractive to small to medium size companies.
Why are these services included?
PrivateGP exists to provide a new brand in healthcare in the UK. Consumer information is a vital part of making informed choices - our chosen partners provide information and services which are second to none in allowing informed decisions. Our new partnership in 2005 will provide health advice more relevant to the UK and Europe than the current USA model.
Where have all the occupational health and screening services gone?
We are closing the network down for 2004 while we establish a partnership with new entrants to the corporate market. We will return!