Non-NHS Services

The government’s contract with GPs covers medical services to NHS patients. However, in recent years more and more organisations have been involving doctors in a wide range of non NHS work.

This work is not funded by the government, so GPs have to charge a fee to cover their time and other expenses.

Do GPs have to do non-NHS work for their patients?

With certain limited exceptions, GPs do not have to carry our non-NHS work. Many GPs however will always attempt to assist their patients and carry out this work.

Why does it sometimes take my GP a long time to complete my form/letter?

Time spent completing forms & preparing reports takes the GP away from the medical care of patients. GPs have an ever increasing workload of forms which must be prioritised against offering appointments and other urgent administration.

I only need the GP’s signature – what’s the problem?

When a GP signs a certificate, completes a report or writes a letter it is a condition of remaining on the medical register (which allows them to practice as a doctor), that they only sign what they know to be true. In order to complete even the simplest of forms, the doctor may have to check a patient’s entire medical record.

Who sets the fees and why do different doctors charge different fees?

The BMA suggest fees that may be charged in certain circumstances however these are intended for guidance only. Doctors are not obliged to charge the rates suggested by the BMA and the fee levels will generally reflect the amount of work and time involved.

Why do GPs charge for the completion of cremation forms?

A deceased person cannot be cremated until the cause of death is definitely known and properly recorded.

Before cremation takes place, two certificates must be signed, one by the GP and one by another doctor. The completion of these forms is not part of a doctor’s NHS duties and the fees are normally charged to the funeral director who generally passes on the cost to the family.

These fees are agreed with the relevant national associations applicable to funeral directors. Death certificates are a separate form and are completed free of charge.

What notice is required for the completion of reports & letters?

We ask for 4 weeks’ notice although many are completed more quickly.

Where a patient has an urgent request this should be explained to the receptionist who will note the request. However, it is not always possible for other more clinically urgent work to be delayed.

Overseas Visitors

If you have moved “for a settled purpose” to our practice catchment area from overseas, you may register with the practice as a standard NHS patient. Please ask a member of the reception team for a registration form.

If you are visiting the area for a temporary period from overseas, you may be able to receive free treatment.

If your treatment is deemed an emergency / immediately necessary by the treating clinician, we will endeavour to see you as soon as possible. However, should you require treatment at a hospital, they may make a charge. If you require medication, this will be issued on an NHS prescription (chargeable at the pharmacy).

If your treatment is not immediately necessary, you may be given treatment, but this is at the discretion of the GP on duty. Due to capacity issues, you may be asked to source treatment from elsewhere, such as local pharmacies, walk in centres, or accident & emergency if appropriate.

Fees List

All charges are inclusive of VAT (*), where applicable.

Copies of Records

Type of record	Charge	Who normally pays?
Computerised records added more than 40 days ago *	First copy: No Charge (if subject to GDPR) Otherwise, £1 per sheet (min £5; max £10)	Patient
Computerised Records added within the last 40 days	No charge	n/a
Copy of individual letter from the record	No charge	n/a
Manual records or a combination of manual & computerised records *	First copy: No Charge (if subject to GDPR) Otherwise, £50	Patient / employer / insurance company / solicitor

Certificates, Letters & Forms

Type of certificate , letter or form	Charge (where there is a range, the doctor will specify the charge)	Who normally pays?
Freedom from infection certificate *	£36 (single page) £54 (multiple pages)	Patient
Fitness to exercise / travel letter *	£36 (single page) £54 (multiple pages)	Patient
Vaccination record	no charge	Patient
Holiday cancellation insurance claim form *	£36 (single page) £54 (multiple pages)	Patient
Fitness for education / sport *	£36 (single page) £54 (multiple pages)	Patient
Private sick note (any sick note within 7 days is private) *	£36	Patient
Claim form (e.g. BUPA, Westfield) *	£36 (single page) £54 (multiple pages)	Patient
School fees insurance claim form *	£36 (single page) £54 (multiple pages)	Patient
Letter for firearms application or renewal*	£54	Patient
Mental Capacity Assessment	£145	Patient
Completion of Power of Attorney or Court of Protection form *	£200	Patient / Solicitor
Form requiring attendance and/or medical with a GP*	£95 to £145 subject to requirements	Patient

Travel Vaccinations

Some travel vaccinations are provided free of charge (from your registered GP practice) on the NHS. The following vaccinations are not provided on the NHS, but can be provided on a private basis.

This practice is also able to provide a travel vaccine advice & immunisation service to patients not registered at this practice. Please see the “Fees for patients not registered at this practice” section below.

Vaccination	Number of injections	Cost of vaccination course
Hepatitis B *	3 injections per course	£90
Japanese B Encephalitis *	2 injections per course	£160
Meningitis A & C *	1 injection	£40
Rabies *	3 injections per course	Private prescription or £135
Tick Borne Encephalitis *	3 injections per course	£115
Yellow Fever	Not available

Driving

Type of report / form	Charge	Who normally pays?
Full medical & report (HGV, PSV, PCV, LGV) *	£145	Patient or employer
Local Authority PCV / LGV report *	£90.50	Local Authority
Report (no examination) *	£95	Patient or employer
Report to DVLA (with examination) *	To be determined by the DVLA	DVLA
Report to DVLA (no examination) *	To be determined by the DVLA	DVLA

Employment

Type of report / form	Charge	Who normally pays?
Form (no examination)*	£95	Employer
Form (including examination)*	£145	Employer
Short Report (single sided) *	£120	Employer
Longer Report (2 or more pages) *	£150	Employer
Patients should ask their employer to write to the surgery with specific questions. Employers will need to gain written consent from the patient. In the unlikely event that patients need to seek their own report at their own cost for employment purposes, then the charge will be £95*

Adoption & Fostering

Adoption fees are normally paid by the parent(s); fostering fees are normally paid by the NHS, but sometimes paid by the adoption / fostering agency.

Type of report / form	Charge
Form IHA (Initial Health Assessment)	£58.12
Forms M, B – Obstetric Neonatal Reports	£44.95
Forms C, D, YP, AME – Full examination of child	£97.91
Form AH – Health Assessment for a prospective carer	£73.86
Form AH2 – Update report	£24.36
Childminder OFSTED health declaration form	£84.50
Examination of child in care: First examination Subsequent examination	£37.99 £24.36
Freedom from infection for children in care	£24.36

Attendance Allowance & Disability Living Allowance

Normally paid by the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP)

GP factual report *	£40.20
Form DS1500 *	£21.00

Insurance Company Reports

Normally paid for by the insurance company, but occasionally by the patient (check individual policy).

iGPR report	£95 / £125 (Depending on size)
Paper based report / eGPR	£120
Follow up information request	£56 to £120 depending on nature of request
Charitable organisation / ATOS etc	Charge determined by requesting organisation

Fees for patients not registered at this Practice

Travel vaccines
Patients are able to attend their registered GP practice for most travel vaccines and the majority of these are offered free of charge on the NHS.

Please see the “Travel & Occupational Health Vaccinations” section above for more details.

If you are unable to source travel vaccinations from your local registered practice, we are able to offer the following vaccinations on a private basis:

Travel vaccinations (some vaccinations require a course of 3 injections). Please note we do not provide yellow fever vaccinations *

Cost of the vaccine plus an administration charge of £15 per injection

Operations & Procedures
These are applicable to clients who are NOT registered patients of The Valleys Medical Partnership.

No private consultations or private operations are offered to registered patients.

The costs exclude the costs of medicines, laboratory / histology.

Cryotherapy of warts, verruca etc. *

£60 per 10-minute session