Travel Vaccination Prices

Travel advice is covered by the NHS; however some vaccinations and prescriptions are only available privately. Payment for non-NHS services must be made at the first travel appointment.

Private Work Fees

Some services provided are not covered under our contract with the NHS and therefore attract charges. The fees charged are based on the British Medical Association (BMA) suggested scales and our reception staff will be happy to advise you about them along with appointment availability. 

Why do GP’s charge fees?

The National Health Service provides most health care to most people free of charge, but there are exceptions.

In some cases, dental fees for example, these are to cover the cost of treatment.  In other cases, the charges are because the cost is not covered by the NHS; for example, medical reports for private companies (Life Assurance/Insurance), claims on cancelled holidays, examinations related to an occupation.  All of these examples are not related to clinical matters and, as such, are not part of the General Practitioner’s contract with the NHS.  As the Government is paying for the GP to be delivering NHS work, it is inappropriate that this contracted time is spent doing work that goes beyond NHS work in this time.  It is for this reason that the GP must charge.

What is covered by the NHS and what is not?

The contract between the Government and the GP practice covers medical services to NHS Patients.  Regrettably, more and more organisations have been involving doctors in work that goes beyond this service.  Oftentimes, GPs are asked because they are deemed as a person of trust in the community, or because an insurance company, or employer, wants to be sure that the information provided is true, or accurate. 

Timing?

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

The GP is contracted to provide NHS work in the first instance, and therefore non-NHS work needs to be undertaken outside of this contract time.

GPs roles are not typical 9- 5 jobs.  There is a lot more work, behind the scenes beyond just consulting with the patient. There are hospital referrals to write, on behalf of patients, and responses to read from Consultants.  There are test results to process, and to action, and medication to review and to prescribe. 

In addition, in needs to be remembered that a GP is under a stipulation from the General Medical Council, that anything they sign must be known to be true.  As such, a GP cannot simply sign a letter or report, without reviewing the patient’s record, and assuring themselves that the information that they are declaring is supported by documented fact. 

Charges

Our private fees are calculated on the time involved in undertaking the average of these types of letters.  We do undertake periodic review, and compare our fees with other practices, both local and national to try and be fair with our charges; however our primary service is NHS work and only offer private work, as a convenience to patients.

In most cases, there is no obligation for you to use the services of this surgery for you private work, and other (private) doctors and organisations can be used.  It may also be cheaper to do this, as some organisations specialise in providing specific services and at competitive prices (HGV, PCV medicals for example).   

Patient request	Fee	Maximum time (working days)
Extract / Copy from OWN medical records (specific details required patient – form to be completed)	No Fee	20 days
Full Copy of OWN medical records (specific details required patient – form to be completed)	No Fee	25 days
Letter confirming registration (no clinical details)	£15	5 days
Certificates (private sick certificate)	£30	15 days
Private Letter,regarding care and if GP supports position (Parking Permit, Housing, PIP)	£30	20 days
Private Letter – Incapacity to perform specific activity	£30	20 days
Private Letter – Fit to: fly, school, sport, gym, perform	£30	20 days
Holiday Cancellation form	£30	20 days
Holiday Cancellation Examination and Report	£150	20 days
Police Occupational Health Form (single sided)	£40	20 days
Police Form (Shotgun Licence Application)	£65	20 days
OFSTED, Child minding form	£32	20 days
Medical Examinations (HGV/PCV/Taxi, Seat belt exemption, sports, private, holiday cancellation)	£150	20 days
Medical Report – No examination (Insurance Claim, Police Form – No Examination)	£65	20 days
Adoption / Fostering – Assessment	£200
Adoption / Fostering – Update	£70

Non-NHS Work and Refund Policy

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to outline the procedures and guidelines for handling non-NHS work, including the preparation of letters, reports, and other administrative tasks, and to clarify the practice’s position on refunds for these services.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all non-NHS work provided by the practice, including but not limited to:

• Medical reports and letters
• Insurance forms
• Travel vaccinations
• Occupational health services

3. Non-NHS Work

• Non-NHS work refers to services that are not covered by NHS funding and are provided on a private basis.
• Patients will be informed of any fees associated with non-NHS work prior to the service being provided.
• A list of fees for common non-NHS services is available at the reception and on the practice website.

4. Payment

• Payment for non-NHS work is required at the time of request or prior to the completion of the service.
• Accepted payment methods include cash and bank transfer.

5. Refund Policy

• Once a non-NHS service has been completed, refunds will not be issued.
• In the event of a delay or issue with the service, the practice will work with the patient to resolve the matter promptly.
• Requests for refunds must be made in writing and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Senior Management Team.

6. Communication

• A copy of this policy is available upon request and is displayed in the practice waiting area and on the practice website.

7. Review and Updates

• This policy will be reviewed annually and updated as necessary to ensure compliance with relevant regulations and best practices.

8. Contact Information

• For any questions or concerns regarding this policy, please contact the Operations Manager.

Results Of Tests And Investigations

We will contact you by text, telephone or letter, only if a result is abnormal and you require treatment or further investigations. You will not be contacted if your result is normal. If you wish to enquire about the results of your tests please complete an online form HERE alternatively you can call reception if you cannot complete the form. Adults’ results will not be given to anyone other than the patient, except in exceptional circumstances.

Online Test Results

Registered for online services? Click the link below to login/ register and see your results:

Blood Tests

A blood test is when a sample of blood is taken for testing in a laboratory. Blood tests have a wide range of uses and are one of the most common types of medical test.

A blood test usually involves the phlebotomist taking a blood sample from a blood vessel in your arm and the usual place for a sample is the inside of the elbow or wrist, where the veins are relatively close to the surface. Blood samples from children are most commonly taken from the back of the hand. The childs hand will be anaesthetised (numbed) with a special cream before the sample is taken.

You can find out more about blood tests, their purpose and the way they are performed on the NHS Choices website.

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X-Rays

An X-ray is a widely used diagnostic test to examine the inside of the body. X-rays are a very effective way of detecting problems with bones, such as fractures. They can also often identify problems with soft tissue, such as pneumonia or breast cancer.

If you have an X-ray, you will be asked to lie on a table or stand against a surface so that the part of your body being X-rayed is between the X-ray tube and the photographic plate.

An X-ray is usually carried out by a radiographer, a healthcare professional who specialises in using imaging technology, such as X-rays and ultrasound scanners.

You can find out more about x-ray tests, how they are performed, their function and the risks by visiting the NHS Choices website.

We are able to supply hearing aid batteries to those patients with hearing aids, if you are in need of new batteries please speak to our reception team who will be able to arrange for you to be given a new supply.

Please the link below for information on your local health visitors, children’s services and much more:

You can self-refer for antenatal care via the online consult system please type self-referral and choose which hospital you would like to be referred to for Barts Health Trust via the link below (FYI Newham University hospital and The Royal London Hospital is part of the Barts Health Trust).

For pregnancy options advice and abortion treatment please follow the link below:

For information on smears please complete the nursing services form via the link below and select SMEARS.

Please complete the nursing services form via the link below and select family planning and one of our nurses will contact you. You can also be seen at the Ludwig Guttman Centre in Stratford further information can be found via the link below.

All routine childhood immunisations are available at the practice by appointment with the practice nurse. it is important to ensure that all children are vaccinated against the potentially serious illnesses and all those behind with their programme should catch up as soon as possible. If your child is due routine immunisations please complete the online form below and select Childhood Immunisations.