Sometimes you may want to seek a second opinion from another healthcare professional around your diagnosis or treatment.

The General Medical Council, which regulates doctors, state that all doctors must ‘respect the patient’s right to seek a second opinion’. A healthcare professional will consider your circumstances and whether a second opinion is needed.

This page does not cover Martha’s Rule, which is a new patient safety initiative that gives inpatients and/or their families and friends access to an urgent review if they are worried about an inpatient’s condition getting worse.

Find out more about Martha’s Rule.

Do you need a second opinion?

Before asking for a second opinion, it is worth asking your clinical team to go over your diagnosis and explain everything clearly.

If you are unhappy with your diagnosis, or would like to consider a different course of treatment, discuss this with your clinical team who will be happy to explain things.

How do I get a second opinion?

If you would still like a second opinion after speaking with the clinical team, you will usually need to go back to your GP to ask them to refer you again. If your GP agrees to refer you to a new clinical team, they will be told that this is for a second opinion. They will also be sent any relevant test results or X-rays previously carried out.

This does not mean that the new consultant will automatically take over your care. If you want to be treated by the new clinical team, this needs to be arranged with them and their hospital.

Things to consider when asking for a second opinion

• People who are referred for a second opinion are treated as a new patient referral and are assessed accordingly.
• A second opinion with a different clinical team may be at a different hospital which may involve additional travelling.
• The opinion of the second clinical team may be the same as the first.
• While waiting for your second opinion, you may wish to inform your initial clinical team about this.
• If you have a serious medical condition requiring urgent treatment, we advise that you discuss this with your clinical team and ask whether any delay in starting treatment could affect your wellbeing.

If you need any advice or support, you can speak to our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS).