Private Medical Reports, Examinations & Insurance
Insurance medicals, the completion of various forms, and the provision of letters for third parties are NOT covered by the NHS.
We provide these services to our patients only on a private basis and they do attract a fee.
Approximate charges are given below
Non-urgent advice: Notice
WE DO NOT PROVIDE LETTERS FOR HOUSING ASSOCIATIONS. WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT THEIR OWN DOCTORS WILL ASSESS YOU IF NECESSARY AND THAT LETTERS FROM OURSELVES ARE NOT CONSIDERED.
Non-NHS work includes requests such as:
- Letter to school, University etc.
- Insurance Claim Forms
- Gym Membership Cancellation
- Holiday Cancellation Form
- Accident & Sickness Claim Form
- Mortgage Application Forms
- Flying Licence
- References
- Travel Vaccinations and Certificates
- Certificates of Employment
- Letter for Airline
- Letter for Medication On-board aeroplane
- Fitness to Attend Summer Camp
- Any other forms similar to the above
The list above is intended to show examples of the type of request which are considered non-NHS work. Each request will be considered on an individual basis. Fees are always payable for medical services not covered by the NHS.
If you require any of the above to be completed by the doctor, you will need to collect an application pack from reception or follow the link below to download an application pack and return to reception. Please be advised that there will be a fee for this type of work.The fee will need to be paid in full before it is passed to the GP for completion.
Please allow 28 working days, from when your fee is paid, for the request to be completed.
You will be contacted when we have completed your request. Please make sure that we have your correct contact details.
Non-urgent advice: Notice
Please note that a charge is made in ALL cases
The doctor does NOT have the discretion to waive the charge
*The list is not exhaustive and charges may be made for other services requested
Prices may vary depending on the nature of the request
Hatherton Medical Centre: All payments are taken by card.
Holland Park Surgery, Mossley Fields Surgery, and Broadway Medical Centre: Unfortunately, we do not have a card payment machine at these surgeries.
PAYMENT IS REQUIRED IN ADVANCE IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES
Non-NHS Letter Request Form
To request a letter, please complete this form and bring it back to us.
(If you are requesting a letter for multiple people, please complete a separate form for each person)
Why does my doctor charge fees?
When your doctor is asked to give medical information about you in the form of a report, letter or certificate, the request kick starts a series of processes.
This takes time and is not always straightforward or simple to complete. Some of the information is not available easily and will mean the doctor has to sort and select the right information for the request.
The doctor also must establish who is funding this work and if it is not part of their NHS work, agree a fee for this.
Surely the work is paid for by the NHS?
Many patients see their doctor as the embodiment of the NHS and all that it provides – free care at the point of delivery. However not all work doctors are asked to do is paid for by the NHS and many GPs are self-employed.
This means they must cover their time and costs – staff, buildings, heating, lighting, etc – in the same way as any small business. The NHS only pays for NHS work, any work outside of the NHS must be funded by other means and this is why fees are charged.
Why does it take so long?
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.
All requests will vary in complexity, volume and consistency ranging from signing a certificate which can take minutes, to an in-depth report with an examination that can take hours.
What your doctor is signing
When your 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, they may have to check your entire medical record (some of which may not be accessible on a computer or on site).
Carelessness or an inaccurate report can have serious consequences for the doctor with the General Medical Council (the doctors’ regulatory body) or even the Police.
Why does my doctor seem reluctant or say no to this request?
Your doctor is inundated with work. They have to balance their time with treating the sick, keeping their practice afloat and making sure they are doing all of this safely and within their professional duties as a doctor.
With certain exceptions written within their contract, doctors do not have to carry out non-NHS work. However, many choose to for the benefit of you and other families they treat.
Where a doctor chooses to undertake the work, we advise them to inform and always agree a fee in advance of undertaking work.
Should their volume of work prove to be greater or more complex than expected, the doctor will contact you to discuss how to proceed.
What can I do to help?
– Not all documents need a signature by a doctor and can be done by other professionals. Please check the form and accompanying guidance as you may get a quicker response that way.
– If you have several forms requiring completion, present them all at once and ask your doctor 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.
– Don’t book an appointment with your doctor to complete forms without checking with your doctor’s administrative staff as to whether you need to or not.