What is a Concierge Medical Practice?

A concierge medical practice is a small, membership based GP practice that looks after fewer patients, so we can offer more time, continuity and personal care. Instead of short, rushed appointments with whoever is available, you have a named GP who knows you well, supported by a small team, with longer consultations, proactive follow-up and home visits wherever appropriate. At Concierge Medical, this is the model we use to provide calm, relationship focused general practice for individuals and families across the Cotswolds, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire.

You might have heard the term “concierge medical practice” and wondered what it actually means. Is it simply faster access, a kind of VIP upgrade, or something more fundamental about how your GP care is organised? And how is it different from a standard private GP clinic or your local NHS surgery?

From our perspective at Concierge Medical, a concierge medical practice is a complete way of delivering general practice, not an add-on service. It is a small, membership based GP practice that deliberately cares for fewer patients so that each doctor has the time to offer longer appointments, proactive follow up and a genuinely personal relationship over many years. The focus is on continuity, trust, and thoughtful care, with the practical benefits of flexible access and home visits where appropriate.

In this article, we will explore what defines a concierge medical practice, how it feels to be registered with one, and how this model works alongside NHS services. We will also touch on some of the common myths and questions, so you can decide whether this way of organising your GP care is the right fit for you and your family. If, after reading this article, you feel concierge medicine may be a good fit for you, our guide How do I Find a Concierge Medical Service?, may also be of interest to you.

How a concierge GP practice is different from a standard surgery

In a typical GP surgery, whether NHS or private, doctors are responsible for very large lists of patients and see a high volume of people each day. Appointment times are often short, which makes it harder to explore problems in depth, focus on prevention or follow up as closely as everyone would like. When patient lists are very large, it becomes more difficult to maintain continuity and to offer the kind of proactive, health promotion work that many patients value, while smaller panels are linked with better continuity and satisfaction.

As a concierge medical practice, we do things differently. We deliberately look after a much smaller number of patients per doctor, in return for a regular membership fee. By keeping our list sizes small and assigning each member a named GP, we give that relationship the space it needs to develop. You are not just seeing whoever is available, but building an ongoing connection with a doctor who knows you.

In practical terms, this means that we are not simply a standard surgery with faster access. We have designed our whole practice around smaller lists, more time and sustained relationships, so that general practice can be shaped around you and your family, rather than around the demands of a very large patient list.

What being registered with a concierge practice feels like

Being registered with a concierge medical practice feels calmer, more personal and more joined up than most people are used to. Instead of dipping in and out of a busy system, you have an ongoing relationship with a small, familiar team who know you by name and understand your story.

From the moment you join, you are registered with a named doctor who takes overall responsibility for your care. Over time, that relationship becomes steady and reassuring. You are usually seeing or speaking to the same GP, so each consultation feels like a continuation of a conversation, not a fresh start with someone new.

Appointments themselves tend to feel more relaxed and unhurried. Because we look after a smaller number of patients, we can offer longer, more thoughtful consultations. There is time to explain your symptoms in your own words, to ask questions, to explore worries and to agree a plan without feeling rushed or dismissed. Many people describe this as feeling properly listened to and taken seriously.

Much of your care happens in surroundings that feel comfortable and familiar. Wherever appropriate, we come to you, at home or sometimes at your place of work. Being seen in your own space can feel less clinical and more natural, which is especially helpful for children, older adults or anyone who finds travelling to a surgery stressful.

The follow-up also feels different. If you have been unwell, started a new treatment or had a hospital appointment, we plan to check in, adjust things if needed and keep an eye on how you are getting on. That steady, quiet oversight means you are not left to piece everything together on your own.

Overall, our patients report that being registered with a concierge practice feels more continuous, more attentive and more reassuring. You know who to call, you know who you are likely to see, and you know there is time and space to deal with your health in a thoughtful, human way.

The ethos behind concierge medicine

At its core, concierge medicine is about reshaping general practice around time, trust and continuity, rather than around volume and speed. It is less about luxury and more about having the space to do careful, joined-up medicine in a way that feels human and sustainable.

Because we look after a smaller number of patients per doctor, we can offer longer, more considered consultations and proactive follow-up. Evidence from primary care suggests that smaller patient panels are linked with better continuity, higher satisfaction and more scope for health promotion [1], which fits closely with how we choose to work as a practice. In everyday terms, this means there is time to explore the background to a problem, to talk about lifestyle and prevention, and to plan next steps properly rather than focusing only on the immediate symptom.

Published work on concierge practice describes this in similar terms, with doctors using the extra time to integrate lifestyle medicine, prevention and longer term planning into routine care, not just dealing with acute illness [2]. Membership based primary care models more broadly have been framed as a way to support the “quadruple aim” of modern healthcare, better patient experience, better outcomes, more sustainable costs and a more sustainable working life for clinicians [3]. For us, this ethos translates into thoughtful, relationship based care where you and your GP can work together over years, not simply one appointment at a time.

Continuity is a natural part of that ethos. When you see the same GP regularly, you do not have to keep repeating your story, and subtle changes are easier to spot. UK research has reported that stronger continuity with a GP is associated with better health outcomes and fewer consultations over time, especially for older people and those with complex needs [4]. By combining small list sizes with a named GP model, we try to make that kind of continuity the norm rather than the exception.

In short, the ethos behind our concierge practice is to provide careful, person centred medicine that has the time, attention and continuity to support you over the long term, while still being responsive when something urgent arises.

Working alongside the NHS and other services

Being registered with a concierge practice does not mean stepping outside the NHS. For most of our members, it is about having us as their day to day GP, while still drawing on NHS hospitals, community teams and screening programmes when they are needed.

In practical terms, we often act as your first port of call. If something is worrying you, you contact us, we assess what is going on and then decide together whether it can be managed within the practice, whether you need tests, or whether you would be better cared for by a hospital specialist. When we refer you, we explain the background clearly and share relevant information so the team you are seeing is not starting with a blank page. We will always be clear about what we can and cannot provide, for example, we are not a replacement for 999 services or for highly specialised hospital care.

We also work alongside private specialists, therapists and other health professionals when that is helpful. If you are already under the care of a particular consultant, we can coordinate with them, help you prepare for appointments and make sense of letters or test results afterwards. The aim is for you to feel that someone is holding the overall picture of your health, not just dealing with isolated episodes.

In short, we see ourselves as part of a wider system, not apart from it. Our role is to offer calm, continuous GP care that fits around you, while helping you to make the best use of NHS and private services when you need them.

Myths and misconceptions about concierge practices

Because concierge medicine is still relatively new in the UK, there are a few common assumptions that do not quite match the reality of how we work.

“It is only for emergencies”
Because 24/7 access is often mentioned, some assume concierge care is mainly about late night crises. Urgent support is an important part of what we offer, but it is only one part. Much of our work is quiet, steady medicine, reviewing long-term conditions, planning prevention, checking in after hospital stays and being available for the early stages of a problem rather than waiting until it becomes an emergency.

“You have to leave the NHS completely”
Another misconception is that joining a concierge practice means you no longer have any contact with the NHS. In practice, many of our members still use NHS hospitals, community teams and screening programmes, while using us as their main GP practice. We see ourselves as working alongside the NHS, helping you make the best use of it, not replacing it.

“It is only for the very wealthy”
Concierge medicine is a paid service, so it is important to acknowledge that it is not affordable or appropriate for everyone. There is a wider discussion in healthcare about fairness and access when some people can pay for more time with a doctor. At the same time, membership fees for primary care are often closer to what people might spend on other recurring costs, such as private tutoring, club memberships or regular travel, rather than the very high fees sometimes quoted in the media. For our patients, the decision is usually about priorities and the value they place on time, continuity and home-based care, rather than luxury.

“It must be less regulated or less evidence-based”
Some people worry that a different funding model means different standards. In reality, we are bound by the same professional, ethical and regulatory expectations as any other GP practice. Our doctors are fully qualified, subject to the same appraisal and revalidation processes, and committed to evidence-based care. The difference is not in the standards we work to, but in the time and structure we have to apply them.

By addressing these myths openly, we hope to give a more accurate picture of what a concierge practice is and is not, so you can decide whether this way of organising your GP care fits with what you and your family are looking for.

Who a concierge practice is right for

Concierge medicine is not the right fit for everyone. It tends to suit people and families who value time, continuity and a more personal relationship with their GP, and who are in a position to budget for ongoing membership rather than pay per visit.

It may be a good fit if you:

• Want a long term relationship with a named GP

You like the idea of your doctor really getting to know you over time, understanding your history, your family context and your preferences, rather than seeing a different person each time.

• Have children, older relatives or complex health needs

You want steady oversight rather than crisis management, with someone who can keep an eye on patterns, follow up after hospital visits and help coordinate different pieces of your care.

• Find standard appointment models stressful or limiting

You may feel rushed in short consultations, find it hard to get to a surgery, or prefer to be seen at home, where you feel more comfortable and relaxed.

• Have a demanding or unpredictable schedule

You work long or irregular hours, travel frequently, or split your time between homes, and you want a GP practice that can respond flexibly and stay in step with your life.

• Place a high value on prevention and longer term health planning

You are interested in using time with your GP to look beyond immediate problems, to talk about lifestyle, risk, screening and how to stay well over many years.

For some people, these benefits are worth the commitment of a monthly membership. For others, a more traditional GP arrangement is a better fit. Our role is to be clear about how we work so you can decide whether this way of organising your care feels right for you.

Concierge Medical as your concierge GP practice in the Cotswolds

We set up Concierge Medical to bring this style of relationship-based general practice to people living in the Cotswolds and surrounding counties. We look after individuals and families across the Cotswolds, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire, with our doctors spending much of their time on the road between villages, farms, market towns and larger centres.

We keep our patient lists deliberately small so that each doctor has the time to offer longer appointments, home visits wherever appropriate and thoughtful follow-up. Every member has a named GP who takes overall responsibility for their care, supported by a small team who share the same ethos and have full access to your records. Over time, that model allows us to build a steady, trusted relationship with you and your family.

Our practice combines this continuity with the practical benefits people expect from concierge medicine: flexible access, a home visit oriented service and round the clock support when something urgent arises. If you live in the Cotswolds or nearby and feel that this way of organising your GP care might suit you, we are always happy to talk through how membership works and what it would look like in your situation.

Next steps

If you think a concierge medical practice might be right for you, a good first step is simply to reflect on what you want from your GP care. Do you value longer, more relaxed appointments, seeing the same doctor regularly, and being seen at home when you are unwell? Or are you mainly looking for faster access within a more traditional setup? Being clear about this will help you decide whether a membership model makes sense for you and your family.

If you would like to explore things further, we are always happy to explain how our practice works, what membership includes and how it might fit around your existing NHS and private care.

If you live in the Cotswolds, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire or Wiltshire and want to discuss whether joining Concierge Medical would be a good fit, you can contact us by e-mailing info@conciergemedical.co.uk, or calling us on 01451 600900. Alternatively, you can register online right away.

Conclusion

A concierge medical practice is, at heart, a different way of being a GP for you. Instead of building everything around high volumes and short appointments, we organise our practice around smaller lists, longer consultations and a steady relationship with a named doctor who knows you well. The membership model simply makes it possible to protect that time and continuity, while still offering flexible access and home based care when you need it.

At Concierge Medical, we have shaped this approach for life in the Cotswolds and surrounding counties, combining calm, relationship focused general practice with the practical benefits of modern concierge care. For some people and families, that mix of time, trust, continuity and flexible access is exactly what they have been looking for from a GP service. We hope this article has explained the model more clearly to you, so you can decide whether it feels like the right way to organise your care, now and in the years ahead.

References

1. Abu Dabrh AM, Farah WH, McLeod HM, et al. Determining Patient Panel Size in Primary Care: A Meta Narrative Review. Journal of Primary Care and Community Health. 2025; Feb 20. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11843711/
   
2. Serna DC. Lifestyle Medicine in a Concierge Practice: My Journey. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 2019;13(4):367–370. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6600619/
   
3. Mechley AR. Direct Primary Care: A Successful Financial Model for the Clinical Practice of Lifestyle Medicine. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 2021;15(5):557–562. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8504342/
   
4. Kirby J. Seeing Same GP “Improves Patient Health and Cuts Workload of Doctors”. The Guardian. 23 February 2024. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/feb/23/seeing-same-gp-improves-patient-health-and-cuts-workload-of-doctors 

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