A referral for private X-ray — quick, inexpensive, and the right first look at bone and chest.
Referred by a GMC-registered GP, results reviewed by the same doctor
Taken at a partner site near you
Results explained in plain English, not just a number
Your NHS records in the room, with your consent
Care led personally by Dr Khan
Attentive, unhurried care that listens properly
Five-star Google reviews from the people we have looked after
Registered with the Care Quality Commission
X-ray remains the quickest and least expensive way to look at bone and chest, and is often all that is needed.
It shows bone well and soft tissue poorly, so the consultation establishes whether it will actually answer your question.
Two-dimensional images of bone and chest structures. Standard for fractures, joint changes, chest assessment and some abdominal questions.
It shows bone well and soft tissue poorly. Ligaments, cartilage, discs and muscles are effectively invisible — which means a normal X-ray after an injury does not mean nothing is wrong.
If soft tissue damage is the likely problem, MRI or ultrasound is the better test and we will say so rather than sending you for an X-ray that cannot answer the question.
A suspected fracture needs A&E or an urgent treatment centre on the day. They will X-ray and treat in the same visit. A private referral days later is the wrong pathway and delays treatment.
Consultation, referral to Vista Health, then a review of the report with you.
No preparation required. Tell us if you are or might be pregnant.
A suspected acute fracture should go to A&E or an urgent treatment centre rather than a private referral — it needs treating on the day.
Bone, and air. Fractures, joint space, alignment, and — in the chest — the lungs and heart outline.
That is a narrow but genuinely useful range, and where the question is bony, an X-ray answers it faster and more cheaply than anything else.
"Degenerative change". It appears on the majority of joint and spine X-rays past middle age, and it means the joint has aged.
The correlation between what an X-ray shows and how much pain someone has is weak. People with marked changes are often comfortable; people with mild changes are sometimes in a great deal of pain.
"Bone on bone" is a description of an image, not a prognosis — and hearing it makes people stop moving, which reliably makes joint pain worse. Exercise remains the most effective treatment for osteoarthritis regardless of what the film shows.
Useful, but limited. It means no fracture and no obvious bony abnormality — not that the area is uninjured.
Ligament tears, cartilage damage, tendon injury and disc problems are all invisible on X-ray, and are common causes of pain with a normal film.
Some fractures also do not show initially, particularly scaphoid fractures in the wrist and stress fractures, which can take a fortnight to become visible.
What an X-ray shows and what a person feels correspond poorly. This is most obvious in the spine and knees, where imaging findings are near-universal with age and pain is not.
Treating the film rather than the person is a well-recognised way to make joint pain worse.
A normal chest X-ray does not exclude lung cancer or a pulmonary embolism — a meaningful proportion of both are missed on plain films.
A normal joint X-ray does not exclude injury.
We do not perform X-rays — we refer. And a suspected acute fracture should go to A&E or an urgent treatment centre, not a private referral: they X-ray, interpret and treat in one visit, and a displaced fracture needs setting the same day.
A suspected fracture belongs in A&E or an urgent treatment centre. They are free, they X-ray on the spot, and they treat what they find in the same visit.
Paying privately for a suspected acute fracture buys delay, not speed, and we say so.
NHS X-ray is free where indicated, and many areas have walk-in X-ray with a GP request.
A non-urgent question with a long local wait — chronic joint pain, or a follow-up film — where an earlier answer changes a decision.
Very little. A chest X-ray is roughly equivalent to a few days of ordinary background radiation — far less than a CT scan.
It is not a reason to avoid a clinically indicated X-ray.
No — go to A&E or an urgent treatment centre today.
They are free, they X-ray immediately, and they treat what they find in the same visit. A displaced fracture needs setting promptly, and a private referral only adds delay.
Common, and it does not mean nothing is wrong.
Ligaments, tendons and cartilage are invisible on X-ray, and injuries to them are frequent causes of persistent pain with a normal film.
Some fractures also do not show at first — scaphoid fractures in the wrist and stress fractures can take two weeks to appear, and are re-imaged for exactly that reason.
Usually it describes a joint that has aged, and it appears on most films past middle age.
The link between what the X-ray shows and how much pain you have is weak — marked changes with no symptoms are common, and so is the reverse.
Not on its own. That phrase describes an image, not a treatment plan.
Joint replacement is decided on symptoms and function — how much pain you are in and what you can no longer do — not on the appearance of a film.
And exercise remains the most effective treatment for osteoarthritis, however the joint looks. Being told you are bone on bone tends to make people move less, which makes the pain worse.
Tell the unit before the scan. The dose is low, but they will shield, delay, or use a different test depending on the region.
No. A meaningful proportion of lung cancers are not visible on a plain chest film.
Persistent symptoms with a normal chest X-ray still need following up — and a cough lasting more than three weeks should be assessed regardless.
No preparation for most X-rays. Metal zips, buttons and jewellery in the area are removed, so easy clothing helps.
Mostly to establish whether an X-ray will answer your question at all — for a lot of pain, it will not, and MRI or ultrasound is the right test.
Providers also require a referral setting out the clinical question.
Clinically reviewed by Dr Mohammad Zubair Khan, GMC 7563469
Last reviewed
August 23, 2026
On this page
Ongoing
Time to be seen
Appointment length
Your NHS record in the room
Written treatment plan
Told when a test isn’t needed
Cost
Same day, usually
20 minutes
Yes, with your consent
Included
Yes, and told why
£40 for 20 minutes
Varies by practice
Typically 10 minutes
Yes, your full record
Not routinely
Usually
Free
Same day
Often 10 to 15 minutes
Usually not
Sometimes charged
Varies by provider
Often a subscription
Same-day access is usually available, from 6am to 10pm, seven days a week. You choose a time that suits you rather than waiting on hold at 8am.
Yes. Care is led personally by Dr Mohammad Khan, so you are not passed between clinicians. Continuity is the point of a small practice: someone who knows your history and is listening attentively rather than working through a checklist.
Yes, with your consent. We can access your Summary Care Record during the consultation, so your current medications, allergies and significant history are in the room. That means fewer questions you have already answered elsewhere, and safer prescribing.
No. We are not here to replace GPs, only to support them. Your NHS practice remains responsible for your ongoing care, and with your consent we write to them after the consultation. We are useful when you need to be seen sooner, or want more time than a standard appointment allows.
Twenty unhurried minutes and a comprehensive assessment. A written treatment plan is included, along with any prescription, sick note or referral letter arising from the consultation, at no extra charge.
£40 for 20 minutes, self-pay. Membership is optional and never required. Priced for fairness, because we are not here to charge extortionate amounts for access to a doctor.
It means the diagnosis can usually be made from your history and photographs, and that treatment can be arranged safely without examining you. Where a condition is not marked treatable online, it is because examination is the diagnosis — listening to a chest, feeling an abdomen, examining an ear or a joint — or because a procedure or device is needed.
Yes, where there is a genuine bacterial infection — cellulitis, impetigo, bacterial urine infections, confirmed strep throat. We will also frequently tell you that you do not need one. Most sore throats, coughs, colds and earaches are viral, and an antibiotic gives you the side effects with none of the benefit.
If your problem turns out to be genuinely outside what we can do remotely, the doctor will tell you straight away, point you to the right service, and refund your fee in full. We would rather do that than fill twenty minutes to justify the charge.
Call 999 or go to A&E — do not book an online appointment and do not wait for a reply to an email. For urgent problems that are not emergencies, NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day, online or by phone, and can direct you to the right service.
Patient reviews