Any service required by patients that is not included in the General Medical Services contract and therefore provided privately may attract a fee. In the case of vaccinations not covered by NHS the fees quoted include the costs of the vaccines which are not supplied free to the surgery.

Why are fees charged?

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. 

Surely the doctor is being paid anyway?

It is important to understand that GP partners are not employed by the NHS. They are self-employed and they have to cover the costs of everything from the limited NHS funds provided - staff wages, buildings, heating, lighting, etc. - in the same way as any small business. The NHS covers costs for NHS work, but not for non-NHS work, the fees charged by GPs contribute towards keeping the surgery running.

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

With certain limited exceptions, GPs do not have to carry out 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 which will always have top priority. GPs have an ever increasing workload of forms which must be prioritised against offering appointments and other urgent administration. We aim to complete non-NHS work within twenty working days of receipt.

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 practise 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

Should it not be free if it is for the Government? 

GP surgeries are not part of Government but are funded by it for specific work. Some Government departments do pay fees for certain items directly to Practices and we do not charge for items funded in that way. Increasingly we are finding that certain governmental or pseudo-governmental bodies bodies insisting on forms from surgeries state that they themselves cannot fund this work but that the patient may be able to get it done by surgeries free of charge charge. It is in our view peculiarly inappropriate for such bodies to imply that GP’s should stay on after their surgeries to carry out private work for nothing in order to compensate for that body’s own lack of funds.

Once again please be aware that this list is not exhaustive. Any service required by patients that is not included in the General Medical Services contract and therefore provided privately may attract a fee.