Can’t Get a GP Appointment for Your Child This Week? How to See a Doctor Today
If your child is unwell and you cannot get a GP appointment this week, you still have three options today. Call NHS 111 for free advice around the clock, ask a local pharmacist for help under the Pharmacy First scheme, or see a private GP the same day. If your child is seriously unwell, call 999 or go to A&E. Warning signs include difficulty breathing, being floppy or unresponsive, a rash that does not fade when pressed, or a fever of 38 degrees or higher in a baby under three months. The Online GP by The Wellness sees children the same day, 7 days a week, by phone, video or in person at 10 Portman Square, Marylebone.
Your three routes today
NHS 111 is free and open around the clock. Call 111 or visit 111.nhs.uk and a trained adviser will assess your child's symptoms and direct you to the right service, including out of hours GP hubs where appropriate. Pharmacists can advise on and treat several common childhood conditions free of charge under Pharmacy First, including earache, sore throat, impetigo and infected insect bites. When you want a full consultation without the wait, a private GP gives you time with a doctor today.
Contact us to book a same day appointment for your child.
Why parents choose a private GP
Every consultation is with a GMC registered doctor. Your appointment is unhurried, with time to examine your child properly, answer your questions and agree a plan together. Where a prescription is clinically appropriate, it can be sent to your local pharmacy the same day. If your child needs a specialist, your GP can arrange a private referral, and you receive a clear record of the consultation to share with your NHS practice. Private paediatric consultations on Harley Street typically run from £250 to £350. Appointments are £59 for a 15 minute phone consultation, £150 for a video consultation and £220 for an in person appointment, confirmed before you book.
Contact us and tell us what is happening with your child.
What happens at the appointment
Your doctor takes a full history and examines your child properly, including temperature, heart rate, breathing, ears, throat and chest where it matters. You talk through what is wrong, what it means and what to watch for, and you agree the plan together. If a prescription is clinically appropriate it is sent electronically to a pharmacy near you, often ready within the hour. You receive a written record of the consultation to share with your NHS practice, and clear safety netting advice: what should improve, how quickly, and exactly what to do if things change. If your child needs blood tests, a scan or a specialist opinion, your GP arranges the referral and explains the likely costs before anything is booked.
The warning signs that mean emergency care first
Some symptoms always come before any GP appointment, ours included. Call 999 or go to A&E if your child has difficulty breathing, is floppy, unresponsive or difficult to wake, has a fit, has a rash that does not fade when you press a glass against it, shows signs of dehydration such as no wet nappies for 12 hours, or has a fever of 38 degrees or higher in a baby under three months. These thresholds follow NHS guidance and the NICE guideline on fever in under 5s (NG143), the same framework emergency departments use. If you are unsure, call NHS 111 first: a trained adviser can tell you within minutes whether your child needs emergency care, an out of hours GP or home care.Honest limits
A private GP is not the right route for every situation. If your child is seriously unwell, we will always direct you to urgent or emergency care first, and our doctors will tell you during the consultation if hospital assessment is the safer option. That judgement is part of what you are paying for: a senior doctor whose only focus is the right care for your child.
If your child needs to be seen today, you do not need to wait for an NHS slot that may not come this week. Contact us and we will find you the earliest appointment, by phone, by video or in person at our London clinic. The Online GP by The Wellness is at 10 Portman Square, Marylebone, 3 minutes from Baker Street station.
Common questions
Can a private GP see babies and children?
Yes. Our GPs see children of all ages, from babies to teenagers, and a large share of our same day work is childhood fevers, earache, rashes, coughs and stomach bugs.
Will my NHS GP find out?
Only if you want them to. You receive the consultation record and we recommend sharing it with your NHS practice so your child records stay complete.
Can my child get a prescription the same day?
Yes, where it is clinically appropriate. The prescription goes electronically to a pharmacy near you and is usually ready to collect within the hour. Private prescriptions are paid for at the pharmacy counter.
What if my child needs a specialist?
Your GP writes the referral during the appointment, to a paediatrician or the right specialist, and explains the options and likely costs first.
Is a private GP regulated like an NHS GP?
Yes. Every consultation is with a GMC registered doctor working to the same clinical standards, with the same rules on confidentiality, consent and safeguarding.Still unsure which route is right today? Contact us and describe what is happening. A GMC registered doctor will tell you honestly whether your child needs a consultation, NHS 111 or emergency care.