Non-NHS Work

Why does my GP charge a fee for medical reports and letters?

Please “Contact Us Online” to request a medical report or a GP letter. Please do not book an appointment with a GP, unless instructed.

The NHS provides certain services which GPs offer and for which we are paid to offer by the NHS. The practice has a primary duty to provide services for the management of patients who are ill.

However, there are many things which patients request from GPs which are not covered by this. GPs do not have to carry out non-NHS work on behalf of their patients. However, we undertake some work as we appreciate that this service is valuable and of use to patients. Non-NHS services are chargeable.

Examples of non-NHS services for which GPs can charge their NHS patients are:

  • Accident/sickness insurance certificates
  • Private medical insurance reports
  • Statements of fact relating to general health e.g. fit to run a marathon
  • Holiday cancellation claim forms
  • Referral for private care forms (i.e. BUPA forms, Vitality forms)

Examples of non-NHS services for which GPs can charge other institutions are:

  • Medical reports for an insurance company
  • Some reports for the DSS/benefits agency
  • Examinations of occupational health
  • Requests from solicitors for patient record

When medical reports are provided they are a private service and as such, have to be completed in the GPs own time outside of their paid NHS working hours. These services incur a fee and we set our fees with reference to the British Medical Association guidance on private fees.

What if I cannot afford to pay a fee?

The practice recognises that many of our patients may have significant financial difficulties and would not wish to increase their financial stress. For this reason the practice offers two levels of support:

  • Provide the patient with a summary of their medical record including key diagnosis and current medications as previously recorded and read coded in their medical record. There is no charge for this level of support.
  • Provide a specific letter or report to patients for a fee.

Whilst we understand the financial pressures patients may be experiencing, we receive a high volume of these requests and set all of our fees based on the time the GP takes to complete the work, so that we are equitable to all patients and our doctors. We are not able to negotiate our rates or offer reduced prices.

Why does it sometimes take my GP a some 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 and paperwork takes up an increasing amount of their time, so many GPs find they are already doing extra NHS paperwork on their days off, in the evenings or at weekends. The time taken to complete a form will depend on their NHS workload and how many reports or letters have been requested by other patients at that time. We will try our hardest to turn around private work as efficiently as possible, but we cannot guarantee the work will always be done as rapidly as a patient hopes, and it may take up to 2 weeks.

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, 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 (the doctors’ regulatory body) or even the Police.

What fee should I expect to pay?

We have provided below details of our fees. Whenever we receive a request for a letter or report the doctor will review the request to work out how long they need to complete the report and therefore what fee to charge.

We will always tell the patient what the fee will be before the report is completed, so they can decide whether they want to go ahead.

Fees

Service item

Standard fee

Electronic print out of records

Free

Very short letter/certificate

£20

Housing letter

£25

Private Sick note

£25

Holiday Cancellation Certificate

£30

Firearms Renewal Form

£30

Freedom from infection certificate, eg for school, travel or employment

£30

Health club/fitness certificate

£30

School fees

£30

Sickness/accident claim form

£30

Private medical/insurance form

£30

Proforma report with no examination (travel/health insurance)

£50

Written report with no examination

£50

Fitness for sports event with exam

£60

Medical report (solicitor / health insurance / employer) Any supplementary report / info requested in addition to initial report.

£85.00 – £100.00 (depending on the complexity of the patient’s medical history £25.00

DVLA/HGV/PCV appointment without eye test

£100