Frequently Asked Questions

If you need a consultation, tests or treatment you should first see your GP.

If you then experience difficulties accessing local NHS services, and feel that you need our help, simply contact our Member Services Department on 0845 052 5701* (Mon-Fri 8am – 8pm, excluding Bank Holidays) to discuss your healthcare needs. You can also email us at memberservices@benenden.org.uk or write to us at The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited, Holgate Park Drive, York, YO26 4GG.

It’s important that you call us before going ahead and arranging any medical services, as we can only reimburse costs that have been previously authorised by us in writing. For further information, please review our ‘How to access services’.

If your GP needs to refer you to a consultant for diagnosis and you experience difficulties accessing local NHS services, we can approve a diagnostic consultation for you for any condition.

You can see one of our own consultants or a local consultant arranged through your GP. If you see a local consultant we can pay up to £1,500 to help you achieve a diagnosis. This includes consultations, outpatient tests and minor outpatient treatments (such as injections) that your GP or consultant recommends.

It’s important that you call us before going ahead and arranging any medical services, as we can only reimburse costs that have been previously authorised by us in writing. Simply contact our Member Services Department on 0845 052 5701* (Mon-Fri 8am – 8pm, excluding Bank Holidays) to discuss your healthcare needs.

This is one of the services that is available after six months of membership.

For further information, please review our ‘How to access services’.

We always encourage our members to use Benenden Hospital in Kent for consultations and treatment, regardless of where you live. Alternatively we can agree for you to use our local consultation service, so you see a local consultant chosen by your GP.

The Society provides a selected range of surgical treatments at specially selected hospitals throughout the UK, including Benenden Hospital. However, it is important that you call us before going ahead and arranging any medical services, as we can only reimburse costs that have been previously authorised by us in writing. Simply contact our Member Services Department on 0845 052 5701* (Mon-Fri 8am – 8pm, excluding Bank Holidays) to discuss your healthcare needs.

Once you have visited the consultant or hospital, you will receive an invoice for the services they have provided. Always ask for an itemised invoice showing details of the consultations, tests or treatments carried out.

Simply send the original invoice to: The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited, Holgate Park Drive, York, YO26 4GG and we will do our best to send you a cheque payment within seven working days of receiving your invoice.

It’s important that you call us before going ahead and arranging any medical services, as we can only reimburse costs that have been previously authorised by us in writing. We also cannot pay for any invoices that are more than three months old and cannot accept photocopies, receipts, duplicates, facsimiles, pre-admission documents or invoice reminders.

Yes. Simply photocopy the invoice and send the original to us promptly – and we will send you a cheque. You can then pay the consultant's bill using your photocopy of the invoice. We do not normally pay a consultant or hospital directly, unless we have arranged the appointment for you at one of the specially selected hospitals throughout the UK, including Benenden Hospital.

Please note, we cannot pay for any treatment that we do not authorise. It is therefore important that all treatment is formally approved by Benenden Healthcare Society before you arrange it. We also cannot pay for any invoices that are more than three months old and cannot accept photocopies, receipts, duplicates, facsimiles, pre-admission documents or invoice reminders.

No. We always encourage our members to use Benenden Hospital in Kent for consultations and treatment, regardless of where you live. Alternatively we can agree for you to use our local consultation service, so you see a local consultant chosen by your GP.

However, it is important that you call us before going ahead and arranging any medical services, as we can only reimburse costs that have been previously authorised by us in writing. Simply contact our Member Services Department on 0845 052 57021* (Mon-Fri 8am – 8pm, excluding Bank Holidays) to discuss your healthcare needs.

To keep our service affordable at just £1.50 a week, there are some consultation and treatments and services we cannot provide, such as:

• Diagnostic consultations with consultants who do not have an NHS post. They must also be registered with a royal college such as the Royal College of Surgeons or Physicians
• Appointments with certain specialists, such as podiatrists, radiologists, dentists, opticians or complementary therapists
• IVF treatment
• Treatment for mental health problems
• Cosmetic, breast, plastic, sterilisation, nerve, dental, maxillofacial, transplant, arterial or cardiac surgery
• Surgery for complex orthopaedic problems, such as joint replacements.

For the full list, please review the exclusions section of the website.

Please note that benefits may vary according to the needs of the member, the resources available or over time. The Society's contractual business (the provision of tuberculosis benefit) is authorised by the FSA. The remainder of the Society's business is undertaken on a discretionary basis. The Society is subject to FSA requirement for prudential management.

We aim to provide appropriate support that will best complement the services provided by your GP, the NHS and Social Services departments.

We can offer a helping hand in many ways:

• Giving you information on other sources of help and benefits that may be available
• You may need extra help in the home or some special equipment to make life easier
• Financial help may be available towards travel expenses to and from hospital, additional heating costs, and convalescence. Financial assistance for members suffering with an active cancer condition are based on the individual’s needs, personal circumstances and the nature and degree of the illness. They are not dependent on your financial circumstances.

For specific information on this service, please review the webpage about financial assistance for cancer and TB.

It’s important that you call us for advice before going ahead and arranging for any help, as we can only reimburse costs that have been previously authorised by us in writing. Simply contact our Member Services Department on 0845 052 5703* (Mon-Fri 8am – 8pm, excluding Bank Holidays) to discuss your healthcare needs.

This is one of the services that is available after six months of membership.

Members from outside of the UK are entitled to all of The Society’s Information and Discounted services (Benhealth and Together magazines will be available online only). Overseas members cannot access the Consultation and Treatment services as these are provided to back up the UK National Health Service and as such need to be referred by a UK based GP, once the NHS has been tested.

To advise us of any personal detail changes please contact our Member Services Department on 0845 052 5720* (Mon-Fri 8am – 8pm, excluding Bank Holidays).

For further information please review the services section of the website.

We ask all members to keep us advised of any changes in their personal circumstances so that we can update our records and where appropriate and provide advice to members of any limitations in service.

We provide an online form in the members area of this website which members can use to make changes to their address, names, contact details and communication preferences. Alternatively you can contact our Member Services Department on 0845 052 5720* (Mon-Fri 8am – 8pm, excluding Bank Holidays).