^We may record or monitor our calls
Bupa Occupational Health Limited provides COVID-19 testing by working together with The Doctors Laboratory (TDL) Limited.
Bupa Health Assessments and Occupational Health services, are provided by Bupa Occupational Health Limited. Registered in England and Wales No. 631336. Registered office: 1 Angel Court, London, EC2R 7HJ.
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How long will the health assessment take?
Between one and three hours, depending on which health assessment you choose.
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What's included within a health assessment?
The tests included within an assessment depend on which assessment you choose, your current health, age and family history. For more information about the specific test included within each assessment, compare our health assessments.
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Can I change my appointment?
Health assessments - You can change or cancel your appointment free of charge up to six working days before your appointment. If you cancel five days or less before your appointment you’ll be charged £75 and you will have to pay the full price of the assessment if you cancel 24 hours or less before your appointment.
GP Appointments - Yes, provided you change your appointment more than 24 hours in advance. If you change or cancel your appointment on the day, you will be charged the full amount.
Musculoskeletal services - If you need to change or cancel your appointment, please call us with at least 24 hours notice. If you cancel later than this you will incur a cost.
Dermatology - You can change or cancel your appointment free of charge up to five working days before your appointment. If you change or cancel your appointment within 24 hours of your appointment, you will have to pay the full price of the appointment.
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Do I need to prepare for my health assessment?
You will receive your confirmation email as soon as you've booked with tips on how to prepare for your assessment. The day after booking you'll be sent another email asking you to complete your pre-assessment questionnaire in Be.Me via an app or portal. It's very important that you complete this questionnaire before your appointment to avoid delays on the day and to make sure the doctor has adequate information for your assessment.
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Should I eat something before my health assessment?
There’s no need to fast beforehand, but ideally try not to eat a heavy meal. Drink plenty of water on the day so that you‘re well hydrated but please try to avoid caffeine three hours before your appointment.
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What if I have accessibility needs?
If you have restricted mobility, please contact the bookings team by telephone (0333 920 7604) to make your booking and we can give you instructions about parking and/or access to the building. If you have communication difficulties, please arrange for a friend or relative/signer to come with you .If you’ll need an interpreter during your appointment, we can offer you immediate telephone access to an interpretation service called Language Line. You’ll be able to choose from over 200 languages and dialects.
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What if I have a pre-existing condition?
If you want to talk about a long-term health condition, it would be best for you to book a health assessment which includes time with a doctor. That means we’d recommend either Be.Reassured or Be.Ahead. This includes time with a GP, not a specialist. Therefore, some aspects of what you may want to talk about could lie beyond the GP’s level of expertise. However, the doctor you see can let you know if they think you need a specialist opinion and can give you a referral letter to see a private specialist.
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When will I get my results?
You’ll receive most of your results on the day and the health adviser and/or doctor will discuss these with you during your consultation. A personalised report will then be available online. Pathology tests, mammograms, cervical smears and prostate tests will need to be sent away to special laboratories. You’ll receive the results within two weeks of your appointment.
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What if you find something serious?
We’ll talk it through with you in detail and, with your agreement; we’ll let your GP know. We may advise you to see your GP to follow up on these results or provide you with a referral to a private specialist, if necessary.
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Is there parking and/or changing facilities at the centre?
For details about the facilities available at the health centre you’ll be visiting, please visit the details page on that centre via the www.bupa.co.uk site.
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Can I take children with me?
Please make any necessary childcare arrangements as we don’t have facilities for children under 18.
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I’m pregnant, can I still have an assessment?
The Be.Motivated health assessment isn’t suitable if you’re pregnant as it does not include time with a doctor but Be.Reassured and Be.Ahead can be adapted accordingly. If you’d like to discuss whether a particular health assessment is suitable for you, please contact the bookings team directly on 0345 600 3458^.
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Is my assessment covered under my insurance policy?
No. If you’re an insurance customer and would like to book a health assessment, please contact the Bookings Team by telephone to arrange this.
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What is a remote private GP appointment?
We’re now providing remote consultations with a private GP either by telephone or video, depending on your preference. During the consultation you can talk to the GP about any health concerns you have, safely and securely. In some circumstances, you may be required to have a face-to-face appointment if recommended.
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What happens if I don’t complete the online pre-assessment questionnaire before the appointment?
It's really important that the doctor has some medical history and any medication you are taking to help inform the diagnosis and treatment. Bupa doesn’t have access to your NHS medical record but can share information with your consent. If you don’t complete the online version, you’ll need to complete a form on the day which can delay your appointment and reduce the time with the doctor.
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Can I reschedule or cancel my appointment?
Yes, provided you change your appointment more than 24 hours in advance. If you change or cancel your appointment on the day, you’ll be charged the full amount.
If you have a remote appointment please try to ensure you answer the telephone promptly. Should you miss the call, the doctor will make a further attempt to contact you. If you fail to answer again, we will not be able to carry out the appointment and it may be necessary to reschedule your appointment at an additional cost. A cancellation charge will be equal to the full cost of your appointment and will also be made to any appointments which are cancelled or rescheduled with less than 24 hours notice.
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Do I need to download a specific application for a remote video call?
Yes. The video call can either be accessed through an app or via your web browser, you will be sent a link to both options before your call.
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What happens if I get disconnected during my remote GP call?
If for any reason you’re disconnected during the call, the doctor will attempt to call you back. They will attempt a maximum of 3 times. If this is not possible or they cannot reach you a member of our bookings team will contact you to rearrange the call.
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My remote GP didn’t call – what should I do?
If you do not receive a call within your time period, please contact the bookings team on 034604 0612^ to check we have the correct phone number.
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What happens if a remote GP recommends a face to face appointment?
If the GP deems it medically necessary, you may be advised to attend for a face to face appointment. If appropriate this can be provided at one of our Bupa Centres. There will be an additional charge for the face to face appointment.
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Are GP appointments covered under my insurance policy?
If you’re an insurance customer and would like to book a GP appointment, please contact the Bookings Team by telephone to arrange this.
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What happens if I have more to discuss at the end of the appointment?
We have provided some guidance during booking as to the length of time that each GP appointment might be appropriate for, so please try to book a suitable duration for the number of medical concerns that you have to discuss. If, despite booking a short appointment, more time is needed, we will aim to make this available. Extra time is only available in 15 minute or 30 minute intervals and there will be a charge for this. Please note that we can’t guarantee that this time will be available on the day of your original appointment.
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Are you able to refer me to the NHS rather than private specialists and consultants?
We can’t refer you to NHS services apart from NHS A&E, sexual health and family planning clinics, but you can be referred back to your NHS GP.
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Do I need to have Bupa health insurance to use the GP service?
No, you don’t need to have Bupa health insurance to use our private GP service. You can make an appointment with a GP even if you haven’t used any Bupa service before.
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Will seeing a private GP affect my relationship with my NHS GP?
No. We aim to offer a level of care that is right for you and your circumstance. However, we strongly advise that you remain on the list with an NHS GP, close to your home, to ensure assistance in the event of a medical emergency.
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Do I need to have Bupa health insurance to use your service?
No. You simply pay for your own treatment, and in some cases we can provide treatment for people covered by other health insurance providers. If you’re an insurance customer and would like to make a musculoskeletal booking then please contact the Bookings Team directly.
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Can physiotherapists do manipulations?
Yes, chartered physiotherapists with the appropriate postgraduate training are qualified to do manipulations.
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How many treatments will I need?
There’s no pre-determined number of treatments for a specific concern. However, following your initial consultation, your clinician will discuss and agree a treatment plan with you. This may include advice regarding the approximate number of treatments you need. However, it’s important to bear in mind that each person responds to treatment differently.
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What if I have accessibility needs?
If you have restricted mobility, please contact the bookings team by telephone to make your booking and we can give you instructions about parking and/or access to the building.
If you have communication difficulties, please arrange for a friend or relative /signer to come with you. If you’ll need an interpreter during your appointment, we can offer you immediate telephone access to an interpretation service called Language Line. You’ll be able to choose from over 200 languages and dialects.
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Do I need to be referred for treatment?
No. You only need to be referred if you’re using your health insurance to fund the treatment. If that is the case, please contact the Bookings Team directly to book your appointment.
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What happens if I need to cancel my appointment?
If you need to change or cancel your appointment, please call us with at least 24 hours notice. If you cancel later than this you’ll incur a cost.
For physiotherapy, you’ll be charged 100% of the fee if you fail to attend or cancel with less than 24 hours notice.
For musculoskeletal physicians, you’ll be charged 50% of the fee if you cancel your appointment with 24 to 72 hours notice. You’ll be charged 100% of the fee if you fail to attend or cancel within 24 hours of the appointment.
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Do I need to prepare for my musculoskeletal appointment?
Your confirmation email will have a link to a registration form and instructions on how to prepare for your assessment. Please complete this online before your appointment however hard copies are available on request on your arrival.
You may need to undress to your underwear so that your clinician can examine you. Alternatively, you may be asked to change into shorts and a t-shirt. If you’ve had any previous tests such as X-ray or MRI scan, bring the results of these and any other letter that your doctor may have sent you. If you’re taking any medicines, bring these as well.
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How long will the appointment last?
Your initial appointment is likely to last about 45 minutes. Any follow-up sessions are usually about 30 minutes.
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What will the antibody test tell me?
Antibody testing can detect whether you’ve previously had COVID-19. It does not tell you whether you currently have COVID-19.
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If I get a positive result does that mean I am now immune to COVID-19?
No, if you encounter certain viruses the body may produce antibodies to help defend against it, should you come into contact with it again. However, because COVID-19 is a new virus, it is not yet known if the presence of antibodies provides immunity to COVID-19, or for how long any protective immunity may last. Even if you get a positive result you still need to follow government guidelines around social distancing and self-isolation.
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How does the test work?
The COVID-19 antibody test looks for the presence of a specific antibodies in the blood for the SARS-Cov-2 virus (the virus that causes COVID-19). The presence of antibodies on a blood test helps identify those who have been previously infected by COVID-19. You’ll either receive a positive (antibodies detected) or a negative result (antibodies note detected).
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How accurate is the test?
Our tests have been evaluated for their accuracy by Public Health England. The specificity of our tests was evaluated as being over 99%. The sensitivity of our tests was evaluated as being between 87-93%. No test is 100% accurate and a negative test therefore does not rule out previous COVID-19 infection.
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How long does it take to get my results?
Your result will take up to 3- 5 days.
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When should I do the test?
Tests are best done 14 days after the onset of symptoms: a negative result therefore only gives information about exposures that were over 14 days prior to the test.
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If I get a positive result does that mean I’m contagious?
No. This test is for antibodies for Covid-19. These are formed in response to infection with Covid-19 are best detected over 14 days after infection began. This test therefore does not tell you if you are currently contagious.
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If I have symptoms, is this the right test for me?
This test will not tell you if you currently have Covid-19. If you have symptoms, the NHS is providing testing to tell you if you are currently infected. We will be happy to provide a test for you if it has been over 14 days since your symptoms began and have since resolved.
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Can I do a test at home instead of visiting a Bupa health centre?
This test is not currently available for home use. We will be looking to offer home-collected tests if and when they receive the necessary validation.