Private Fees and Charges – Why do GP’s charge fees?
Your questions answered
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 isn’t covered by the NHS, for example, medical reports for insurance companies, claims on private health insurance and other letters and forms which require the doctor to review the patient’s medical records.
It is important to understand that GP’s 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 pays the doctor for specific NHS work, but for non-NHS, the fee has to cover the doctor’s costs.
What is covered by the NHS and what is not?
The government’s contract with GP’s 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 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 be sure that information provided is true and accurate
Examples of non-NHS services for which GP’s can charge their patients
Certain travel vaccinations
Private medical insurance reports
Holiday cancellation forms
Referral for private care forms
Letters requested by or on behalf of, the patient
In certain instances fitness to work forms
Examples of non-NHS services for which GP’s can charge other institutions are?
Medical reports for an insurance company
Some reports for the DSS/Benefits agency
Examinations of local authority employees
Properly The Pendle Medical Partnership
Fees for private – Non-NHS Forms, Reports and Certificates (Updated February 2020)
Payee
Fee
Access to records under the Data Protection Act
Copy of computerised records
Patient/Solicitor
No charge
Manual records or combination of manual and computer records
Patient/Solicitor
No charge
Attendance Allowance/Disability Living Allowance
GP Factual Report
DWP
£18.00
DS1500
DWP
£18.00
Employment – local authority / Police / NHS
Police/Local Authority – medical exam leading to certificate/opinion
Police / Local Authority
£109.00
Police / Local Authority – report without exam (30 mins)
Police / Local Authority
£74.00
Extract from records – no exam, no opinion
Police / Local Authority
£37.00
Pre-employment report
Police / Local Authority / NHS
£39.00
Fire service – exam and report
Fire Service
£100.50
Employment – other
Private extract from records (15 mins)
Employer
£65.00
Government extract from records (15 mins)
Local Authority
£33.00
Full examination / medical with report
Employer
£175.50
Report on Pro-forma (20 mins)
Employer
£87.50
Private medical report (no exam)
Employer
£100.00
Private sick note
Patient
£20.00
Duplicate sick note
Patient
£3.00
Fitness for Sport and School
Examination and report
Patient / Insurance Co.
£150.00
Extract from record
Patient / Insurance Co.
£50.00
Short certificate
Patient / Insurance Co.
£20.00
Student unfit to take exam
Patient
£20.00
Fitness to exercise (if GP happy to provide)
Patient
£20.00
Insurance Report (accident/sickness)
Insurance Claim Form
Patient
£30.00 – £63.00 depending on complexity
Life Assurance proposal
General Practitioners Report (GPR)
Insurance Co.
£104.00
General Practitioners supplementary report (GPR – additional info)
Insurance Co.
£27.00
Mental Capacity Certificates
Mental Capacity Assessment Report (no exam)
Solicitor / Guardian
£87.50
Mental Capacity Report (with the exam)
Solicitor / Guardian
£125.00
Section MHA Claim Form
NHS
£53.76
Lasting Power of Attorney (exam & signature)
Solicitor / Guardian
£150.00
Private Medical Examinations & Reports
Full examination with report and certificate
Patient / Employer / Insurance
£150.00
Private report – no examination (30 mins)
Patient / Employer / Insurance
£100.00
Pro-forma report (20 mins)
Patient / Employer / Insurance
£70.00
Extract from records (15 mins)
Patient / Employer / Insurance
£65.00
Travel Abroad
Fitness to travel certificate
Patient
£25.00
Vaccination printout (no signature)
Patient
No charge
Vaccination printout (with GP signature)
Patient
£15.00
Holiday Cancellation Form
Patient
£30.00
International vaccine certificate
Patient
£15.50
Certificates and Forms
HGV Medical
Patient
£130.00
DVLA
DVLA
As per DVLA letter
Taxi Medical
Patient
£130.00
Other Forms
Council Tax Exemption forms
Patient
No charge
Shotgun / Firearms
Patient
£30.00
To whom it may concern letter
Patient
£20.00
Private blood test
Patient
£50.00 plus lab fees
Paternity blood test
Patient
£50.00
We do not do:
Blue Badge requests
Passport Forms
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/her patients. Most GP’s have a very heavy workload and paperwork takes up an increasing amount of their time. In addition, non-NHS work must be undertaken outside of NHS contracted time.
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. Therefore in order to complete even the simplest of forms, the doctor needs to check the patient’s entire record. Carelessness or an inaccurate report can have serious consequences for the doctor, with the General Medical Council or even the Police.
If you require a medical examination or have forms needing completion, the easiest way to organise this is to talk to our Managers who are based at both our Earby and Colne sites, and we can let you know what we are able to do, and how much it will cost.
