Non NHS Private Fees

Not all services at the practice are available under the NHS. When patients or other bodies (eg solicitors) request non-NHS items or services a private fee is payable.

Detailed below is a list of our current charges for this type of service. The charges are based on BMA guidelines and are inclusive of VAT.

If the service you require is not listed below, please contact the practice manager, and the practice will consider the work involved and will arrange a quotation.
With certain limited exceptions, we are not obligated to undertake any of these services and reserve the right to decline requests we do not feel we are able to undertake.

We will do our best to carry out this work in a timely fashion, but sometimes if the GP best placed to undertake the work is unavailable there may be some delay.

Please Note:

  1. If you decide that you no longer require the requested form/documentation and the work has already been carried out we will issue a bill for half the cost.
  2. If you Do Not Attend a planned Medical Examination we will issue a bill for half the cost of the medical.
  3. If you cancel a planned medical on the day – other than in exceptional circumstances we will issue a bill for half the cost of the medical.

Patient Requests

  • Blue Badge or Bus Pass Letter - £20.00
  • Letter to Support Housing Application - £60.00
  • Letter to Support PIP / Benefits etc. - £60.00

 

Fitness to (with no examination)

  • Attend Court - £60.00
  • Attend School/University/Examinations - £60.00
  • Drive - £60.00
  • Exercise - £60.00
  • Take Part in a Study - £60.00
  • Travel - £60.00
  • Work - £60.00

 

Medicals (Examination & Report)

At the GP's discretion.

  • Driver Taxi/HGV/PSV - £130.00
  • Scuba Diving - £130.00
  • Sports - £130.00
  • Adoption & Fostering (Private NOT through Local Authority) - £130.00

 

Patients NOT Covered by a Bilateral Health Agreement

  • 10 Minute Consultation with GP NO Interpreter Required - £80.00
  • 20 Minute Consultation with GP Interpreter Required - £160.00
  • Home Visit by GP - £150.00
  • Private Prescription - £15.00

 

Hepatitis B Vaccination for Non-Occupational Reasons

  • Hepatitis B Vaccination - £195.00
    • Hepatitis B vaccinations require a course of 3 vaccinations - £40.00 per vaccine (3x = £120.00)
    • There is an additional administration fee - £25.00 per visit (3x = £75.00)
    • Hepatitis B Vaccinations (£120.00) + Administration Fees (£75.00) = £195.00

The total fee is payable in advance of receiving the vaccinations.

 

Employer Requests

  • Pre-Employment Medical (Examination + Completion of Paperwork) - £130.00
  • Written Report (NO Examination) Requested by the Employer Regarding Employee Pre-Employment - £130.00
  • Written Report (NO Examination) Requested by the Employer Regarding Employee whilst in their Employment - £130.00
  • Freedom from Infection Certificate - £60.00
  • Private Sicknote (Incapacity Certificate) -Required by Patient for Presentation to Employer - £60.00
  • Proof of Attendance at Surgery (Where Printout from Record not Adequate) - £60.00

 

Requests from Solicitors/Insurance Companies

  • General Practitioners Report (GPR) - £104.00
  • Additional Information - £27.00
  • Validation of Private Medical Insurance Claim Form - £60.00
  • Letter to Support a Claim in Connection with Private Medical Insurance - £60.00
  • Completion of Pre-Treatment Form - £60.00
  • Accident or Sickness Insurance Certificate (< 20 Minutes to Complete) - £60.00
    • e.g. Short Certificate of Incapacity without Examination for the Patient to Claim Under Accident or Sickness
  • Completion of Any Supplementary Reports Requested - £30.00 Admin or GP £45.00

 

Local Authority Requests

  • Adoption and Fostering Medical Report Only - £30.00
  • Adoption and Fostering Examination and Report - £73.86
  • Taking a Blood Sample (Non-NHS Kit provided by Requestor) - £60.00

The fees charged are based on the British Medical Association (BMA) suggested scales and our reception staff will be happy to advise you about them along with appointment availability.

Please note that routine examinations for insurance purposes usually require longer appointments. Please inform our reception staff so that we can reserve the necessary length of time.

Please bring a urine sample when attending for any routine health check or a medical examination.

 

Why do GPs sometimes charge fees? Your questions are answered in our FAQ.


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