Getting a second opinion
Your treatment and care will have been discussed with specialists who have expert knowledge and experience.
However, some patients may want to ask for a second opinion about their treatment. This might be:
- to check all treatment options have been explored
- because they are not happy with the recommended treatment
- to confirm the diagnosis
- because they don’t feel that they can talk to their current doctor about their treatment.
You can ask your GP or consultant to refer you to another specialist for a second opinion. This may be another doctor at the same hospital or at a different hospital.
It is important to remember that a second opinion doesn’t necessarily mean that you will be offered a different treatment or that you will change to a different team or hospital. It could also mean the start of your treatment is delayed.
Don’t worry about whether you are offending your first healthcare professional. Treatment plans can be complicated and it is common for healthcare professionals to ask their colleagues for advice.