Services which are outwith the NHS Contract
The National Health Service provides most healthcare to the majority of people free of charge, but there are exceptions. GPs are self-employed and are contracted to provide NHS general medical services for their patients.
Sometimes, GPs are asked to provide additional services which fall outside their contract and in these circumstances, they are entitled to make a reasonable charge for providing them.
Letters and Reports
Our doctors’ priority is to focus on the medical care and health needs of our NHS patients. Writing letters or filling out forms is done in the doctors’ own time, outside of the day-to-day care of their patients. As this is not an NHS service the practice charges fees for some medical letters, reports and certain medical examinations. These fees are in line with British Medical Association guidance and reflect the time spent by the doctors and the administrative team. You can read more here about why GPs sometimes charge fees on the BMA’s webpage here.
Our fees are listed below. If you are happy to proceed, then please contact us via email. We will contact you when we are able to process your request. At times there can be a wait of over a month before your request is processed.
The fees charged are based on the British Medical Association (BMA) suggested scales and Practice Reception Staff will be happy to advise you about them along with appointment availability.
Table of Fees
| Item | Who Pays | Charge |
|---|---|---|
| To Whom It May Concern Letters | ||
| Letter re fitness to exercise, travel, housing | Patient | £25 |
| Certificates and forms | ||
| Fitness for sport, school, university, etc | Patient | £25 |
| Certificate of Incapacity | Patient / Insurance company | £25 |
| Straightforward certificates of fact | Patient / Insurance company | £25 |
| Health Certificate to attend university, college, teacher and nurses training | Patient / Employer | £70 |
| School fees insurance claim form | Patient | £25 |
| Fitness to attend state school | Local authority | £25 |
| Provident Association claim form (e.g. BUPA/PPP) | Patient | £25 |
| Application For Naturalisation as a British Citizen – form AN from the UK Border Agency | Patient – bring photograph | £25 |
| Criminal injuries compensation report on pro forma | Criminal Injuries Authority | £38 |
| PADI Fitness for Diving Medical Statement | Patient | £45 |
| Power of Attorney | £80 | |
| Private sick note | Patient | £25 |
| Driving | ||
| Fit to Drive medicals (all cab/taxi/bus HGV medicals – Form TPH/204) | Patient | £100 |
| Report no examination (20 to 30 mins) | Patient | £60 |
| Report to DVLA with examination | DVLA | £130 |
| Report to DVLA No examination | DVLA | £50 |
| Seat belt exemption | Patient | £70 |
| Elderly driver certificates | Patient | £70 |
| PCV/LGV driver / local authority | Patient | £80 |
| Travel Abroad | ||
| Pregnant Woman’s Medical Certificate Attesting Fitness to Fly noting their good health and indicating the baby’s expected date of birth | Patient | £25 |
| Prescription for drugs required solely for purpose e.g. Malaria tab | Patient | via nurse tbc |
| Meningitis C Vaccination for Travel | Patient | via nurse tbc |
| Visa medical report migrating / travel | Patient | via nurse tbc |
| Vaccination certificate | Patient | via nurse tbc |
| Letter detailing prescription medicines with Surgery stamp | ||
| Letter detailing medicines with Surgery stamp | Patient | £10 |
| Employment – Private | ||
| Full medical with report or certificate (private/insurance – 45mins) | Patient / Employer / Insurance | £130 |
| Report without examination (private/insurance – 30 mins) | Patient / Employer / Insurance | £80 |
| Report on Pro-forma (20 mins) | Patient / Employer / Insurance | £80 |
| Medical Report requested by solicitors (1/2 hour GP time) | Solicitor | £80 |
| Employment – Local Authority / Police / NHS | ||
| Police / Local Authority medical exam, certificate, opinion | Local authority | £130 |
| Local Authority/Police: report without examination (30 mins) | Local authority | £80 |
| LA/Police Medical for higher grade appointment | Local authority | £130 |
| Fire brigade’s Medical examination | Fire Master | £130 |
| Examination and report for fitness for sport, school, university, etc. | ||
| Examination and report | Patient / Insurance company | £130 |
| Insurance | ||
| Sickness report with examination | Insurance company | £130 |
| Insurance Claim form completion | Patient | £50 |
| Accident report with examination | Insurance company | £130 |
| Report without examination. Medical opinion to be included at GP’s discretion. | Insurance company | £99 |
| Short certificate | Insurance company | £25 |
| Life Assurance | ||
| GP examination own patient | Insurance company | £130 |
| GP report no examination | Insurance company | £80 |
| GP supplementary report | Insurance company | £24 |
| Certificate of Existence | Patient | £25 |
| BUPA, PPP, WPA, Private Medical Insurance (PMI) | ||
| Completion of Form | Insurance company | £114 |
| Full medical exam and report | Insurance company | £130 |
| Adoption and Fostering | ||
| Form IHA Initial Health Assessment | Patient / Adoption agency | £75 |
| Forms M, B Obstetric Neonatal reports | Patient / Adoption agency | £45 |
| Forms C, D, YP or AME Full examination of child | Patient / Adoption agency | £98 |
| Form AH Health assessment, Prospective carer | Patient / Adoption agency | £75 |
| Form AH2 Update report, parent/carer | Patient / Adoption agency | £25 |
| Examination of children in /for care-first exam | Patient / Adoption agency | £38 |
| Childminder (Ofsted health declaration booklet) | Patient / Employer | £56 |
Your questions answered
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.
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 to do non-medical work 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.
Examples of non-NHS services for which GPs can charge their NHS patients are:
- accident/sickness insurance certificates
- certain travel vaccinations
- private medical insurance reports
- statements of fact relating to general health e.g. for children’s dance classes
- Letters requested by, or on behalf of, the patient
- Holiday cancellation claim forms
- Referral for private care 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
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 can I do to help?
- If you have several forms requiring completion, present them all at once.
- Do not expect your GP to process forms overnight
Examples of Non-NHS Services include the following:
- Medicals for pre-employment, sports and driving requirements (HGV, PSV etc.)
- Insurance Claim Forms
- Prescriptions for taking medication abroad
- Private Sick Notes
- Vaccination Certificates
The fees charged are based on the British Medical Association (BMA) suggested scales and Practice Reception Staff will be happy to advise you about them along with appointment availability.