What is a medical second opinion, and how can you prepare?

What a second opinion means

A second opinion is when another doctor or healthcare professional looks at your diagnosis or a proposed treatment and gives their own view.

A second opinion is a view, not a transfer of care. In the NHS in England and Wales, for example, seeing another specialist for a second opinion does not mean they automatically take over your treatment. Any change in who treats you has to be arranged separately.

Why people ask for one

People ask for a second opinion for many reasons. For example, they may:

• have doubts about a diagnosis or a recommended treatment
• want more confidence before an important decision
• want to know whether there are other options
• have a complicated or unusual condition

Wanting a second opinion is not a sign that you distrust your doctor, and doctors are used to these requests. In the UK, guidance from the General Medical Council, which regulates doctors, says they must respect a patient’s right to seek a second opinion. This is a professional standard for doctors, not a legal right to have a second opinion.

Start with your current care team

Sometimes the questions behind a second opinion can be answered in a further conversation with the doctor already treating you. It can help to ask them to go over your diagnosis and options again, and to explain anything that is unclear.

If you still want a second opinion, tell your care team. They can explain how it would work where you are and whether waiting for one could affect your health.

How it works can differ

Rules and routes vary between countries and health systems, so it is worth asking how it works locally. In the UK, for example, patient guidance from NHS 111 Wales and Healthwatch England says:

• there is no legal right to a second opinion, although a healthcare professional will rarely refuse to refer you for one
• a second opinion usually needs a referral, often from your GP
• you may have to wait, and the appointment may be at a different hospital
• the second doctor may reach the same view as the first

Hospitals in England are also introducing Martha’s Rule, which lets inpatients, their families or carers ask for a rapid review by a different team if they are worried the patient’s condition is getting worse. It is different from a second opinion. Elsewhere, the process can be quite different, including whether there is any legal right to a second opinion, whether you need a referral, how long it takes and what it costs.

What to prepare

Being organised makes a second opinion more useful. Information that often helps includes:

• a short summary of your symptoms and how they have changed over time
• your diagnosis as it was explained to you, and any written information you were given
• recent test results, scans and letters, or details of where they are held
• a list of your current medicines, including anything you buy yourself, and any allergies
• the treatment that has been recommended, and what you were told about it

In the NHS, test results and scans are usually sent with the referral. In other systems, you may need to ask for copies.

Questions to ask

Taking notes, or bringing someone you trust to help remember what was said, can make the conversation easier to follow.

After the second opinion

A second opinion may confirm what you were first told, which can help you feel more confident, or it may suggest other options to consider. Either way, talk it through with the team responsible for your care before making a decision. If the two opinions differ, it is reasonable to ask each doctor to explain their reasoning.