In addition to a full range of NHS services, the practice provides some services which you will be asked to pay. These include but are not exclusive to:
- HGV (HCV) and PSV medicals
- Sports medicals
- Pre-employment medicals
- Forms for private healthcare claims
- Holiday cancellation forms
- Letters on non-NHS matters
Some chargeable items are subject to VAT which would be charged at the prevailing rate, currently 20%.
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, it is the doctor’s duty to make sure the information to which they are signing is accurate. This may require time going through medical records and it is this time for which we are charging.
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. Grove Medical Practice has a list of the most commonly charged fees which are available on request.
What can I do to help?
- Not all documents need signature by a doctor.
- 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: urgent requests may mean that a doctor has to make special arrangements to process the form quickly, and you will be charged extra for urgent processing.
What we cannot do:
- Passport and ID cards that require verification of your identity.
- Yellow fever travel vaccine
- Hepatitis B vaccinations for employment
https://www.bma.org.uk/pay-and-contracts/fees/why-doctors-charge-fees/why-does-my-doctor-charge-fees
| Why does my doctor charge fees? – British Medical Association Your doctor receives large amounts of request and which is often to do with whether your general health allows you to do something e.g. to work, receive benefits, drive, play sport, attend school, own a house, a firearm or it is for insurance, court or other medico-legal reasons. |
