To visit a consultant (medical specialist) you must be referred by a GP. As a public patient, you do not have to pay for the consultant’s services and you do not get to choose your consultant. In many areas, there are waiting lists for non-emergency services.
If you choose to be referred to a consultant as a private patient, you pay for the consultant’s services. Private hospitals set their own charges. If you have private health insurance, it may cover some or all of the charges.