Non NHS Private Fees

 

Some services provided are not covered under our contract with the NHS and therefore need to be charged for. Examples include the following:

  • Medicals for pre-employment, sports and driving requirements (HGV, PSV etc.)
  • Letters for school/college
  • Insurance claim forms
  • Private Prescriptions
  • Private sick notes

Some services also attract a VAT rating, which is applied at 20%. Our reception staff will be happy to advise you about them along with appointment availability. Details of fees charged are available from reception.

Some private services we have decided as a practice we will not be able to offer. This would include but is not limited to certification as:

  • fit to play school sport following a concussion
  • fit for running marathons/sports events or skydiving

Private Fees

Not everything we are asked to do is NHS work. Sometimes, patients require help from their GP which does not directly relate to their healthcare and for these items there is an associated charge. This can be anything from a short letter, support for a housing application or a full medical examination for occupational purposes i.e. HGV Drivers.

All patients who are charged for a non-NHS service will be issued with a receipt, whether they pay by cash or card. The practice no longer accepts cheques and will only accept an online bank transfer in exceptional circumstances.

Private Certificates/Letters without exam or appointment

  • Letter - up to 1 page of A4 - £30
  • Letter - more than 1 page - TBD on a case-by-case basis
  • Firearms Licence - £100
  • Private Sick Note - £50
  • Passport/Driving Licence Photo Validation (For British Passport – Doctor must have known patient for more than 2 years) - £50
  • Fit to Exercise - £50
  • BUPA/Private Health Claim Insurance Claim Form - £50
  • Holiday Cancellation Form - £50

Medicals / Reports – (this includes all HGV/LGV/PCV/TAXI DRIVER medicals)

DVLA forms/medical (Group 1 -Cars and Motorcycles) – patients do not pay the practice for this service. The DVLA will write to the Practice with the medical form. The practice will contact the patient to book a 30-minute appointment with a GP once they have received the form.

  • Full medical exam and report - Triple appointment. with named GP – Must be paid for at time of booking and not on the day of appointment - £135
  • Medical report without exam - Must be paid for before the report is completed - £104

Medical Records

  • Copy of Medical Record - No charge for 1st request – Fee TBD for further requests
  • Photocopying of Medical Records - No charge for 1st request – Fee TBD for further requests

Why do GPs sometimes charge fees?

Read our frequently asked questions about non-NHS and private services.

Isn’t the NHS supposed to be free?

The National Health Service provides most health care to most people free of charge, but there are exceptions: prescription charges have existed since 1951, and there are a number of other services for which fees are charged. Sometimes the charge is made to cover some of the cost of treatment, for example, dental fees; in other cases, it is because the service is not covered by the NHS, for example, medical reports for insurance companies.

Surely the doctor is being paid anyway?

It is important to understand that GPs are not employed by the NHS, they are self-employed, and they have to cover their costs – staff, buildings, heating, lighting, etc – in the same way as any small business. The NHS covers these costs for NHS work, but for non-NHS work the fee has to cover the doctor’s costs.

What is covered by the NHS and what is not?

The Government’s contract with GPs covers medical services to NHS patients. In recent years, more and more organisations have been involving doctors in a whole range of non-medical work. Sometimes the only reason that GPs are asked is because they are in a position of trust in the community, or because an insurance company or employer wants to be sure that information provided is true and accurate.

Can you give examples of non-NHS services for which GPs can charge their NHS patients:

  • accident/sickness insurance certificates
  • certain travel vaccinations
  • private medical insurance reports

Can you give examples of non-NHS services for which GPs can charge other institutions:

  • medical reports for an insurance company
  • some reports for the DSS/Benefits Agency
  • examinations of local authority employees
  • DS 1500 Form (Disability Living/Attendance Allowance)

Is it true that the BMA sets fees for non-NHS work?

The BMA suggests fees for non-NHS work which is not covered under a GP’s NHS contract, to help GPs set their own professional fees. However, these fees are guidelines only, not recommendations, and a doctor is not obliged to charge the rates suggested.

Why does it sometimes take my GP a long time to complete my form?

Time spent completing forms and preparing reports takes the GP away from the medical care of his or her patients. Most GPs have a very heavy workload – the majority work up to 70 hours a week – and paperwork takes up an increasing amount of their time, so many GPs find they have to take some paperwork home at night and weekends.

I only need the doctor’s signature – what is the problem?

When a doctor signs a certificate or completes a report, it is a condition of remaining on the Medical Register that they only sign what they know to be true. In order to complete even the simplest of forms, therefore, the doctor might have to check the patient’s entire medical record. Carelessness or an inaccurate report can have serious consequences for the doctor with the General Medical Council or even the Police.

What will I be charged?

The BMA recommends that GPs tell patients in advance if they will be charged, and how much. It is up to the individual doctor to decide how much to charge, but the BMA produces lists of suggested fees which many doctors use. Surgeries often have lists of fees on the waiting room wall based on these suggested fees.

What can I do to help?

  • Not all documents need signature by a doctor, for example passport applications. You can ask another person in a position of trust to sign such documents free of charge.
  • If you have several forms requiring completion, present them all at once and ask your GP if he or she is prepared to complete them all at once as a (job lot) at a reduced price.
  • Do not expect your GP to process forms overnight. You should expect the form(s) to take up to 4 weeks for the GP to complete and return

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