Private Second Medical Opinion in London 2026. When to Get One, What It Changes and How It Is Arranged
The Wellness arranges independent second medical opinions in London from £1,495, covering a full review of your records and imaging by a GMC-registered doctor, coordination of a specialist opinion from a named consultant outside the team that made the original recommendation, and a written summary you can act on. Seeking one is not a criticism of anyone. It is standard practice in serious medicine, and the published evidence supports it. Studies of second opinions at major referral centres have found the original diagnosis confirmed in only a minority of cases when reviewed in full, with the diagnosis refined in a substantial share and materially changed in around 1 in 5, and pathology review series consistently identify discrepancies that alter management. Radiology and histopathology are where the most consequential differences occur, which is why a second opinion frequently means re-reading the scan or the biopsy slides rather than seeing another consultant. The moments that warrant one are identifiable in advance. A new cancer diagnosis before treatment begins. Major elective surgery. A diagnosis that does not fit your symptoms. A treatment that has not worked as expected. A recommendation to do nothing when something is clearly wrong. And any situation where you were given life-altering information in under 15 minutes. Time is usually available, and using a week to be certain is almost always better than starting the wrong treatment quickly. Fees appear further down this page.
Reviewed by the medical team at The Wellness. Last updated 1 September 2026.
Request a second opinion on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com or call 020 3951 3429.
When should you get a second opinion
Before treatment starts for any new cancer diagnosis, because the treatment pathway is set at that point and changing it later is considerably harder. Staging, histological subtype and molecular markers all determine the plan, and all are open to review.
Before major elective surgery, particularly spinal surgery, joint replacement, hysterectomy, bariatric surgery and cardiac intervention, where the decision to operate is a judgement rather than a fact and where operative rates vary widely between surgeons for identical presentations.
Where the diagnosis does not fit. If you have been given a label that does not explain your symptoms, or symptoms have been attributed to stress or anxiety more than once, or a condition was diagnosed in a consultation shorter than the time it takes to take a proper history.
Where treatment has not worked as expected after an adequate trial at an adequate dose, because the commonest reason a treatment fails is that the diagnosis was incomplete rather than that the drug was wrong.
Where you have been told nothing can be done, or that the answer is to live with it, which is sometimes correct and is worth confirming with somebody who has no stake in the original conclusion.
And where a rare condition is involved, because volume matters and the consultant seeing 4 cases a year and the one seeing 400 will not always reach the same conclusion.
What actually changes in a second opinion
The most consequential changes come from re-reading rather than re-examining. Histopathology review, where the biopsy slides are examined by a second pathologist, alters diagnosis or grading in a meaningful proportion of complex cases, and grading frequently determines treatment intensity. Radiology re-reporting, where the original images are read by a subspecialist radiologist, changes staging or interpretation often enough that many cancer centres do it routinely for external referrals.
The second category is completeness. A large share of second opinions do not overturn the diagnosis, they complete it, by adding a test that was not done, a marker that was not checked or a differential that was not considered. That is still a changed plan.
The third is the treatment choice within a correct diagnosis. Two consultants can agree entirely on what you have and differ on whether to operate, when to start medication, or which of several evidence-based options fits your circumstances. Neither is wrong. Knowing both exists is what informed consent means, and it is what most people are missing when they feel uneasy.
The fourth outcome, and the commonest, is confirmation. The original opinion is upheld, you proceed with confidence rather than doubt, and the money bought certainty at the point it mattered most. That is a good outcome rather than a wasted fee.
Ask whether a second opinion would help on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com.
How it is arranged here
Records first. You have a legal right to your medical records under UK data protection law, and requests are normally answered within 1 month without charge. We tell you exactly what to request, which is the full record including clinic letters, operation notes, histopathology reports, blood results and, critically, the imaging itself on disc or transfer rather than only the report, because the images are what a second radiologist needs.
A GMC-registered doctor then reviews everything in an extended appointment with you, establishing the chronology, what was found, what was concluded and where the gaps are. That review alone resolves a proportion of cases, either by identifying a missing test or by explaining a decision nobody had explained.
Where a specialist opinion is warranted, it is arranged with a named consultant chosen for that specific question and outside the team that made the original recommendation, which is the point of the exercise. Where the question sits in the images or the slides, formal radiology re-reporting or histopathology review is arranged rather than another outpatient appointment.
You then receive a written summary setting out the original position, the review findings, the specialist opinion and the options with their trade-offs, in a form you can take to your existing team. Nothing is disclosed to anyone without your written consent, and nothing creates an NHS record.
What it does not do
It does not delay urgent care. Where a situation is time-critical, and some are, we say so immediately and help you proceed rather than review. Anyone acutely unwell needs treatment rather than a second opinion, and we will tell you that on the first message.
It does not guarantee a different answer, and any service implying otherwise is selling hope rather than medicine. The commonest outcome is confirmation of the original diagnosis.
It does not replace your existing team. The purpose is to inform your decision, not to transfer your care, and the written summary is designed to be shared with the consultant already treating you. Most doctors welcome this, and a consultant who reacts badly to a patient seeking a second opinion has told you something useful.
And it does not work without records. A second opinion given without the images, the pathology and the full history is an impression, which is what people frequently pay for elsewhere and why they end up no clearer.
What does a second opinion cost in London
Consultant first appointments in the Harley Street district run £250 to £500, with a records review, imaging re-reporting and a written report charged separately and combined costs commonly reaching £1,500 to £3,000. Formal histopathology review and subspecialty radiology re-reporting are priced by the centre. International second opinion services from major overseas centres run from around £3,000 to £8,000 and typically require you to assemble and submit the records yourself. Medico-legal grade reports run higher again.
At The Wellness the review, the coordination and the written summary are 1 fee. All figures are from prices.
Second opinion service, including guidance on obtaining your records, a full review of records and imaging by a GMC-registered doctor, an extended review appointment, coordination of a specialist opinion from a named consultant and a written summary, from £1,495.
Complex or multi-system second opinion with review across several specialties and coordination of more than 1 consultant opinion, from £2,950.
Extended 45-minute consultation to discuss a diagnosis or a recommendation before committing to a full review, from £395.
In-person consultation from £220 and same-day video consultation from £150, available worldwide.
Radiology re-reporting, histopathology review, further imaging and additional testing arranged at specialist centres and accredited laboratories, priced by the provider and confirmed before booking.
Executive Health Programme from £11,995 and Complete Biomarker Assessment from £1,400 where a broader assessment forms part of the question.
Appointments within the week in Marylebone, 3 minutes from Baker Street, or by video from anywhere, in Arabic, French, Spanish and Dutch.
Why The Wellness is the best place in London for a second opinion
Because we have no stake in the answer. We own no hospital, no scanner and no consultant contracts, and we do not deliver the treatments being considered, so the specialist chosen is the one best suited to your question rather than the one who benefits from the conclusion. Independence is the entire product.
Because the review is done properly on records and images rather than on your account of what you were told. The images go for formal re-reporting where the question sits there, the slides go for pathology review where it sits there, and the specialist appointment happens only where a specialist is what the question needs.
Because you are told what the review found in writing, in a form you can hand to your existing team, with the options and their trade-offs set out rather than a single recommendation delivered as a verdict.
And because we will tell you when a second opinion is not what you need, whether that is because the situation is urgent, because the original opinion is plainly correct, or because what you actually need is 45 minutes to have the first opinion explained properly. That happens often, it costs £395, and it resolves more distress than most people expect.
Related reading
Private specialist referral covers how consultant appointments are arranged, best blood tests in London sets out the panel that frequently completes an incomplete picture, private ultrasound scans explains how imaging is arranged and consultant-reported, and the Medico-Legal Wing covers formal reports for legal purposes.
Arrange a second opinion on WhatsApp or call 020 3951 3429.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a second medical opinion in London
Obtain your full medical records including the imaging itself rather than only the reports, then have them reviewed. At The Wellness the second opinion service is from £1,495 and includes guidance on obtaining records, a full review by a GMC-registered doctor, an extended review appointment, coordination of a specialist opinion from a named consultant outside the original team, and a written summary.
Is it worth getting a second opinion
Frequently, particularly before cancer treatment begins or major elective surgery. Published second opinion series at major referral centres have found the diagnosis refined in a substantial share of cases and materially changed in around 1 in 5, with the most consequential differences arising from radiology re-reporting and histopathology review. Confirmation of the original opinion is also a useful outcome.
When should I get a second opinion
Before treatment starts for a new cancer diagnosis, before major elective surgery, where the diagnosis does not fit your symptoms, where treatment has not worked after an adequate trial, where you have been told nothing can be done, or where a rare condition is involved and case volume matters.
Will my doctor be offended
Most will not, and seeking a second opinion is standard practice in serious medicine. The written summary is designed to be shared with your existing team rather than to replace them. A consultant who reacts badly to a patient seeking one has told you something useful.
Do I have a right to my medical records
Yes. Under UK data protection law you can request your records, and requests are normally answered within 1 month without charge. Ask for the full record including clinic letters, operation notes, histopathology reports, blood results and the imaging on disc or by transfer, because the images themselves are what a second radiologist needs.
Can a second opinion be done remotely
Yes. The records and imaging review, the extended review appointment and the written summary can all be completed by video from anywhere in the world, with specialist opinions and any re-reporting arranged in London. Consultations are available in Arabic, French, Spanish and Dutch.
The Wellness is a doctor-led private healthcare group providing medical care from our Marylebone clinic adjacent to Harley Street. All doctors are GMC-registered. Imaging is arranged at specialist centres and reported by consultant radiologists, and laboratory analysis is performed by accredited laboratories. Consultant and re-reporting fees are set by the provider concerned and are separate from our fee. Anyone acutely unwell needs urgent assessment rather than a second opinion, and in an emergency call 999. This article is general information and not a substitute for medical advice about your own health.
Enquire now on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com or call 020 3951 3429.
References. Published second opinion outcome studies from major referral centres, including series reporting refinement or material change of the original diagnosis on full review. Published histopathology second review series identifying discrepancies affecting management. Published subspecialty radiology re-reporting series in oncology referral practice. General Medical Council, Good Medical Practice, on patient autonomy, informed consent and referral. UK General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act 2018 provisions on subject access to health records and the 1 month response period. NICE guidance on shared decision making, NG197. Published 2026 London private consultant, radiology re-reporting and international second opinion market pricing.
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