As long as you fit the criteria for NHS care, most services will be free at the point of delivery.
If you request work that is not provided for or required under the terms of the NHS Primary Care contract, your GP may be happy to help, but, as this is a private service, there will be an associated fee and in some cases the GP may refuse to action the request.
In recent years, more and more organisations have been involving doctors in a range of non-medical work. Sometimes the only reason that GP’s are asked is that they are in a position of trust in the community, or because an insurance company or employer wants to ensure that information provided to them is true and accurate.
Our priority is NHS work
Some services provided are not covered under our contract with the NHS and therefore attract charges. Examples include the following:
- Medicals for pre-employment, sports and driving requirements (HGV, PSV etc.)
- Insurance claim forms
- Passport signing
- Prescriptions for taking medication abroad
- Private sick notes
- Vaccination certificates
- Shotgun license
Fees
The pressure and workload on each GP surgery and clinician varies considerably and so we review our fees regularly in line with recommendations made by the BMA and wider national standards.
It’s only a signature – what is the problem?
There is a common perception that completing such forms simply require a quick signature leave, as there isn’t much detail on the form.
When a doctor is signing to say that they are happy with the conveyed knowledge of a patient, this can often only be assessed by reviewing and cross referencing the clinical record (often the entirety of it) and hospital letters and sometimes may include physically assessing the patient. When a doctor signs a certificate or completes a report they can only sign what they know to be true, and they will be responsible for the clinical details given. Carelessness or an inaccurate report can have serious consequences for the doctor with the General Medical Council or even the police.
These fees are not negotiable so please do not ask. We can accept payment by Card payments & bank transfers. Payment for most services will be required in advance. Any questions regarding payment or fees please ask at the desk.
Requests
Do not leave forms till the last minute as we may not be able to complete your form in time. We are not compelled to complete any non-NHS work and our NHS duties always come first.
Please submit an online triage form or post us a letter detailing your requirement, including any forms. Our staff can advise on the associated fees and whether or not the GP is able to help with your request. We would ask that you check before seeing the doctor as this often wastes an appointment and requires you return on another day.
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 must complete this work outside of and in addition to their normal hours.
We aim to complete your request within two weeks from the date it was received. It may take longer than this due to excessive requests or if NHS work is backlogged. We are aware that some patients may need non-NHS work completed urgently. We will try our best to complete the work as soon as possible but there is no guarantee that this work can be completed within the timeframe specified.