Fees and Charges for NON-NHS Services
FEES AND CHARGES FOR NON NHS
SERVICES
Effective from 22.11.2017
Not all services at the practice are available under the NHS. Where patients request NON-NHS items or services, a private fee may be payable. This leaflet lists those fees, which may be payable in advance.
| FULL MEDICAL EXAMINATION AND REPORT Includes ( but is not limited to) HGV, Taxi, Pilot, Employment Medicals, Sports Medicals, Diving Certificate, and Council Reports | £85 – £160 |
| FULL MEDICAL EXAMINATION AND REPORT Elderly, Diabetic certification, and seat belt Exemptions | £85-£160 |
| PROFORMA MEDICAL REPORT WITH NO EXAMINATION | £75 |
| REPORT PREPARED WITH EXTRACTS FROM MEDICAL RECORDS Without an examination | £60 |
| HOLIDAY CANCELLATION CERTIFICATES Including written confirmations | £25-£50 |
| DRIVING LICENCE OR PASSPORT COUNTERSIGNATURE | £25 |
| BLUE BADGE APPLICATION FORM | £20 |
| FITNESS TO TRAVEL (With examination) | £70 |
| FITNESS TO TRAVEL (Certificate only) | £25 |
| PRIVATE REFERRAL/LETTER (To Whom It May Concern) | £15 |
| PRIVATE FORMS Claim forms includes (but is not limited to), private insurance forms, payment protection, school fees reimbursement, shotgun licence | £15 -£75 |
| PRIVATE SICK NOTE | £15 |
| PRIVATE PRESCRIPTION | £15 |
| PRIVATE CONSULTATION – GP (10 – 20 minutes) | £50-£100 |
| ADOPTION, FOSTER CARE APPLICATION | £75 Initial £25 Update |
| DATA PROTECTION ACT, ACCESS TO COMPUTERISED AND PAPER RECORDSAccess to records only (no copies required) | £10 |
| DATA PROTECTION ACT, ACCESS TO, AND COPIES OF RECORDS Where a copy of any part of a record (computer or paper based) is required an Access Fee of £10 is payable in addition to the copy charge fee | £50 max |
| ENDURING POWER OF ATTORNEY – Witness and examination Witness and examination including home visit | £100 £150 |
| BLOOD TESTSLaboratory testing charges not included and will be advised | £10 |
| CHARGEABLE TRAVEL VACCINES PRIVATE PRESCRIPTION FOR MALARIA | £25-60 £15 |
Methods of Payment are by Cash
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 case, it is because the service is not covered by the NHS, for example, providing copies of health records or producing medical reports for insurance companies.
Surely the Doctor is Being Paid Anyway?
It is important to understand that many GPs are not employed by the NHS; they are self employed and they have to cover their costs – staff, buildings, heating, lightening etc – in the same way as any small business. The NHS covers these costs for NHS work, but for non NHS work the fees charged by GP’s contribute towards their costs.
What is Covered by the NHS and What is not?
The Government’s contract with GPs covers medical services to NHS patients, including the provision of ongoing medical treatment. In recent years, however, 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 ensure that information provided to them is true and accurate. Examples of non-NHS services for which GPs can charge their own NHS patients are:
- Accident/sickness certificates for insurance purposes
- School fee and holiday insurance certificates
- Reports for health clubs to certify that patients are fit to exercise
Examples of Non – NHS services for which GP’s can charge other institutions are:
- Life assurance and income protection reports for insurance companies
- Reports for Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in connection with disability
living allowance and attendance allowance - Medical reports for local authorities in connection with adoption and fostering
Do GP’s have to do Non-NHS work for their patients?
With certain limited exceptions, for example a GP confirming that one of their patients is not fit for jury service, GPs do not have to carry out non-NHS work on behalf of their patients. Whilst GPs will always attempt to assist their patients with the completion of forms, for example for insurance purposes, they are not required to do such non-NHS work.
Why does it sometimes take my GP a long time to complete my form?
GP’s have a very heavy clinical and administrative workload where ill patients and their paperwork take priority. Non urgent paperwork has a lower priority but never the less needs to be completed accurately. Gathering relevant data from paper and electronic records and a variety of other sources can be time consuming and allowances must be made for this.
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 (the doctor’s regulatory body) or even the Police.
What can I do to help?
- Not all documents need a 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 at the same time to speed up the
process. - Do not expect your GP to process forms overnight: urgent requests may mean that a
doctor has to make special arrangements to process the form quickly, and this will
cost more.