Tranent Medical Practice > Services > Non NHS Services – Chargeable

Non NHS Services – Chargeable

Services which are outwith the NHS Contract

Tranent Medical Practice provides a range of services that are not covered by the NHS. These services are normally charged for.

A guide to the minimum costs of standard services is listed in the table below. Should you want the practice to undertake a Non-NHS Service for you, you should complete our Non-NHS Service form and post it to us, or put it (in an envelope) in the post box by the entrance to the Health Centre.

If your request is more complex than standard, and will therefore take us longer to complete, we will let you know the actual price you will be charged before carrying out the work for you. We will only undertake the work in these circumstances if you give us your authorisation to carry it out.

Please note that we do not provide letters, complete forms or other reports where the doctor is being asked to confirm that a patient is fit to carry out an activity, for example fit to fly, fit to take part in a sporting event, fit to carry out a particular job role, fit to go scuba diving, etc… We are happy to confirm details of a patient’s medical history (provided patient consent is given for us to release this information), but our doctors are not in a position to confirm that a patient is fit to undertake a particular activity.

Power of Attorney Documents

Power of Attorney documents are normally drawn up by a solicitor, and in most cases do not require the involvement of a doctor. The only situation in which a doctor is required to be involved is if the solicitor is unsure whether the person granting the powers has the capacity to understand the extent of the powers they are granting. In this situation a doctor is required to carry out an assessment of capacity, and if they are satisfied that the grantor has capacity they will sign the Certificate of Capacity that forms part of the Power of Attorney document. It is the practice’s policy not to carry out assessments of capacity unless the Power of Attorney document has been drawn up by a solicitor. This is because our doctors are not legally trained, and are not in a position to explain the legalities and extent of the powers being granted. For this reason we are unable to assist with Power of Attorney documents unless they have been drawn up by a solicitor.

Service	Min Fee
Doctor’s letter	£30
Completion of form – single page to be completed by doctor	£50
Completion of form – 2 or 3 pages to be completed by doctor	£65
Completion of police firearms certificate form	£100
HGV medical	£150
For other services contact reception for pricing information

Your questions answered

Isn’t the NHS supposed to be free?

The National Health Service provides most healthcare to the majority people free of charge, but there are exceptions: 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.

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 to do non-medical work 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.

Examples of non-NHS services for which GPs can charge their NHS patients are:

accident/sickness insurance certificates
certain travel vaccinations
private medical insurance reports
statements of fact relating to general health e.g. for children’s dance classes
Letters requested by, or on behalf of, the patient
Holiday cancellation claim forms
Referral for private care forms

Examples of non-NHS services for which GPs can charge other institutions are:

medical reports for an insurance company
some reports for the DSS/Benefits Agency
examinations of occupational health

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 can I do to help?

If you have several forms requiring completion, present them all at once.
Do not expect your GP to process forms overnight

Examples of Non-NHS Services include the following:

Medicals for pre-employment, sports and driving requirements (HGV, PSV etc.)
Insurance Claim Forms
Prescriptions for taking medication abroad
Private Sick Notes
Vaccination Certificates

The fees charged are based on the British Medical Association (BMA) suggested scales and Practice Reception Staff will be happy to advise you about them along with appointment availability.