Preauthorisation (also called prior authorisation or pre-approval) is the formal confirmation from your health insurer that they will fund your treatment. Without it, your insurer may decline to pay your claim even if your policy covers hip resurfacing in principle. It is a straightforward process, but it must be completed before treatment — ideally before your first consultation.
Wendy Richards, Mr Hussain's secretary, handles the paperwork at the practice end once a treatment plan has been agreed. Your role is to obtain the authorisation number from your insurer and pass it to the practice before your procedure is booked.
Most insurers require a referral letter from your GP before they will authorise a specialist consultation or surgical treatment. Your GP referral should name Mr Shakir Hussain as the consultant and state the clinical reason — hip pain, suspected osteoarthritis, or similar. Some insurers will also accept a referral from another specialist.
Call or log in to your insurer's online portal to request authorisation for an outpatient consultation with Mr Hussain. You will need your membership number, your GP referral details, and Mr Hussain's name and GMC number (6135851). Use the insurer-specific contacts below. Most insurers will authorise the consultation on the same call.
At your consultation, Mr Hussain will examine you, review your imaging, and discuss whether hip resurfacing is right for you. If surgery is recommended, the practice will prepare a full treatment plan including procedure codes (OPCS codes) and a cost estimate for your insurer.
Once you have decided to proceed, contact your insurer again — or ask the practice to do so — to obtain a separate authorisation number for the surgical episode. This covers the surgeon's fee, the anaesthetist, the implant, and the hospital stay. Wendy Richards will liaise with your insurer directly if you prefer. The authorisation number must be confirmed before your surgery date is finalised.
What to have ready when you callYour insurance membership number · Your GP referral letter (or the GP's name and practice) · Mr Hussain's name and GMC number: 6135851 · The name of the hospital where you plan to be treated · OPCS procedure code for hip resurfacing: W37 (resurfacing arthroplasty of hip joint) — the practice can confirm the exact codes needed.
Direct contacts for the preauthorisation or claims teams at each insurer recognised by Mr Hussain's practice. Phone numbers and links are verified at the time of publication — please confirm current details on your insurer's website before calling, as these can change.
Call Bupa before your consultation to authorise the referral. Bupa will give you a preauthorisation number — quote this to the practice when booking. You can also request authorisation through your MyBupa online account or the Bupa app, which is often the fastest route.
AXA operates a dedicated musculoskeletal (MSK) pathway. For hip surgery, call the muscles, bones and joints line directly. Alternatively, log in to your AXA Health member account and upload your referral letter to start a claim online — AXA often processes this faster than by phone.
Vitality authorisations are managed through their claims team. You can call, email, or use the Vitality Care Hub online — the hub allows you to submit a referral and track the progress of your authorisation request. Have your membership number and GP referral ready.
Once you have a GP referral, contact Aviva to start your claim and obtain a preauthorisation number before your consultation. You can do this by phone or through the MyAviva online portal. Aviva will confirm what is covered under your specific policy and issue an authorisation number for the practice.
WPA offers 24/7 preauthorisation through the WPA Health app — widely regarded as the simplest route. You can also log in to My WPA online. WPA's customer support team is UK-based. The specific contact number for your policy will appear in your membership documents and the app.
Cigna is commonly used for corporate and international healthcare policies. For surgical preauthorisation, contact the UK authorisation team directly by phone or email. If early admission is required the day before surgery, Cigna asks that this is also notified in advance to the same contact.
Allianz Care primarily covers internationally mobile individuals and expatriates. For planned procedures, a preauthorisation form must be submitted at least five working days before treatment. Contact the 24/7 English-language helpline or complete the form online and submit by email. Check your policy documents for your specific policy number.
Police Mutual's healthcare scheme is administered by Healix Healthcare. All preauthorisation and claims queries go through the Healix Healthcare claims line, not directly to Police Mutual. Quote your Police Mutual membership number and have your GP referral details ready when you call.
Please verify contact details before callingPhone numbers, email addresses and online portals are subject to change. Always confirm the current contact details on your insurer's own website before calling, and check your policy membership documents or app for your personal claims number. If your insurer is not listed above, please contact Wendy Richards at the practice — most major UK private medical insurers can be accommodated.
Wendy Richards at the practice is experienced in handling insurer paperwork and can liaise with your insurer directly once a treatment plan is agreed. Contact the practice for guidance on the preauthorisation process for your specific policy. If you do not have private medical insurance, our article on self-pay hip resurfacing and the waiting list explains the self-pay route from enquiry to surgery.
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