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Non NHS Private Fees

 

We have outlined below our terms and conditions and our charges for work that is not covered by the NHS.  This is known as non-NHS work.  

While NHS services are provided free of charge to patients, there are some services that command a fee as they are not available or funded by the NHS; these services are referred to as non-NHS services.  GPs do not have to carry out non-NHS work on behalf of their patients; their priority will always be the provision of safe and effective care to their patients, funded by the NHS.  You will be informed if your GP does not carry out non-NHS work.

These fees were last reviewed August 2025.  

Our fees for Non-NHS work are:

Certificates

  • Private sick note: £35.00
  • Holiday cancellation form: £55.00 
  • Fitness to travel: £35.00 
  • Other private letters: £35.00 
  • Complex medical letters: £60.00

Reports

  • Accident or sickness claim: £60.00
  • Reports requested by employer / insurer: £50.00 - £150.00 
  • Shot gun licence: £55.00 
  • Pre – employment: £160.00
  • HGV/LGV/PCV taxi driver, Racing Driver fitness exam, Fitness to drive, Sports medical: £160.00

Payment must be made in advance of the private work being completed.

Payment is due prior to the completion of the form / letter or any appointments associated with the request.

All requests my take up to 28 days to process.  We will send you a message when your document is ready for collection or please provide a self-addressed pre-paid envelope.

Once the GP has reviewed the request, the GP may advise additional costs if the form is more complex / takes more time than the standard for your request.

If the form / letter or associated appointment is no longer required, a refund will only be given if the work has not been started.

Why do GPs sometimes charge fees? Yours questions answered in our FAQ.

Isn’t the NHS supposed to be free?

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 is not covered by the NHS, for example, medical reports for insurance companies.

Surely the doctor is being paid anyway?

It is important to understand that GPs 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 covers these costs for NHS work, but for non-NHS work the fee has to cover the doctor’s costs.

What is covered by the NHS and what is not?

The Government’s contract with GPs 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 GPs are asked is because 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.

Can you give examples of non-NHS services for which GPs can charge their NHS patients:

  • accident/sickness insurance certificates
  • certain travel vaccinations
  • private medical insurance reports

Can you give examples of non-NHS services for which GPs can charge other institutions:

  • medical reports for an insurance company
  • some reports for the DSS/Benefits Agency
  • examinations of local authority employees
  • DS 1500 Form (Disability Living/Attendance Allowance)

Is it true that the BMA sets fees for non-NHS work?

The BMA suggests fees for non-NHS work which is not covered under a GP’s NHS contract, to help GPs set their own professional fees. However, these fees are guidelines only, not recommendations, and a doctor is not obliged to charge the rates suggested.

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 or her patients. Most GPs have a very heavy workload – the majority work up to 70 hours a week – and paperwork takes up an increasing amount of their time, so many GPs find they have to take some paperwork home at night and weekends.

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, the doctor might have to check the patient’s entire medical record. Carelessness or an inaccurate report can have serious consequences for the doctor with the General Medical Council or even the Police.

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. Surgeries often have lists of fees on the waiting room wall based on these suggested fees.

What can I do to help?

  • Not all documents need signature by a doctor, for example passport applications. You can ask another person in a position of trust to sign such documents free of charge.
  • 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. You should expect the form(s) to take up to 4 weeks for the GP to complete and return

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