Royal Free Private Patients

Overview

The clinic is the Royal Free Private Patients unit, part of Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, offering hospital-based specialist services from the Royal Free Hospital and Hadley Wood Hospital. The service provides ketamine infusion therapy as an in‑hospital treatment option for people with certain types of chronic nerve and neuropathic pain.

Their programme emphasises medically supervised infusion delivered by consultant physicians within an established hospital setting. The team positions ketamine infusion as a targeted analgesic intervention, similar in approach to lidocaine infusions, for conditions such as neuralgia, peripheral neuropathic pain and fibromyalgia.

Best for

This service is best suited for adult patients with chronic neuropathic pain syndromes who are seeking a medically supervised infusion treatment within a hospital environment. Typical referrals include individuals with nerve pain from injury or scarring, neuralgia, and some cases of fibromyalgia that have not responded to other measures.

• Chronic neuropathic pain (neuralgia, peripheral neuropathy)
• Fibromyalgia with neuropathic features

Approach

Treatment is delivered in person in hospital via an intravenous drip under consultant supervision. The infusion is administered through a small cannula and typically takes between one and three hours. Patients are monitored throughout the procedure and for a short period afterwards to manage side effects and observe response.

Preparation instructions include fasting for six hours before the infusion and no fluids for two hours beforehand. Most people receive multiple infusions spread over time depending on clinical response and consultant recommendations. Practitioners discuss follow-up planning and potential further treatments if the initial course is effective.

Common short-term effects such as grogginess, dizziness and nausea are explained and appropriate monitoring and aftercare are provided. The service frames ketamine infusion as a medical analgesic (related to local anaesthetic mechanisms) rather than a psychotherapeutic psychedelic intervention.

Education and Training

The service is provided by consultant physicians within the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. Consultants listed for this treatment include consultant physicians in pain medicine, indicating specialist clinical oversight and hospital‑based governance and standards.

Support

Patients are observed during the infusion and for a short period thereafter and are required to have someone accompany them home. Driving is not permitted for at least 24 hours post‑treatment. Staff advise on gradual resumption of activity, management of common side effects (nausea, fatigue, occasional bruising at the cannula site), and expected recovery timelines, which can include several days up to six weeks to feel fully normal.

Clinical follow-up is available with the consultant to review benefit and arrange further infusions if appropriate. Administrative support for appointments, international enquiries and phone/email contact is provided by the private patients unit.

Practical details

Sessions are delivered in person at hospital locations (Royal Free Hospital, Pond Street, London NW3 2QG, and Hadley Wood Hospital, Barnet EN5 5TS). Patients must follow fasting instructions prior to infusion, and most infusions last 1–3 hours. A guide price for the ketamine infusion package is shown on the site as £1,302. Appointments are booked via the private patients unit booking form or by telephone/email.

• Locations: Royal Free Hospital (Pond Street, London, NW3 2QG) and Hadley Wood Hospital (EN5 5TS)
• Opening hours for enquiries: Monday to Friday, 8am–6pm
• Booking: online form or telephone +44 20 7317 7751

This description was generated based on information from the official website and other materials provided by the provider.