What is covered by the NHS and what is not?
The government’s contract with GPs covers medical services to NHS patients, including the provision of ongoing medical treatment.
GP practices are businesses that have to cover their costs for staff, buildings etc, in the same way as any small business. The NHS covers these costs for NHS work but not for non-NHS work. The fees charged by GPs contribute towards these costs.
In recent years, more and more organisations have been involving doctors in a whole range of non-medical, non-NHS 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 ensure that information provided to them is true and accurate.
Do GPs have to do non-NHS work for their patients?
With certain limited exceptions, for example a GP confirming that one of their patients is not fit for jury service, GPs do not have to carry out non-NHS work on behalf of their patients.
Whilst we will endeavour to assist our patients as much as possible, the request may be declined in some circumstances. For instance, we may decline to sign fitness to perform activities forms such as parachute jumping or marathon as they may need to be done doctors who have specialist training in these areas.
Examples of non-NHS services for which GPs can charge their own NHS patients:
- Accident or sickness certificates for insurance purposes
- Holiday insurance certificates / travel cancellation forms
- Medical reports (e.g., for employers, insurance purposes)
- GP supporting letters for local housing authorities
- Private medical appointments – if you require a medical appointment please call and notify reception, the private medical work administrator will then liaise with the GP to schedule you an appointment.
Non-NHS services for which GPs are unable to complete:
- Confirming proof of identity (e.g., signing ID photographs)
- COP3
- Capacity assessments
- DNA testing
- Witnessing, signing, and completion of Lasting Power of Attorney paperwork (NB: we only scan copies of completed documents in FULL to correctly upload onto your medical record)
- “Fit to compete in sports/events” forms and letters (including but not limited to: diving, skydiving, running and cycling events)
- “Fit to fly” forms and letters
- Blue Badge application forms, including Expert Assessor forms (NB: we can provide a brief summary and several recent letters which may aid you)
- Bus Pass application forms, including Expert Assessor forms (NB: we can provide a brief summary and several recent letters which may aid you)
- Supporting letters for benefits, including Blue Badge, Bus Pass, PIP, Universal Credit (NB: we will be contacted by these authorities if they wish to have more information regarding your health)
- Patient-side Personal Independent Payment forms (NB: the PIP authority will contact is if they wish to have more information regarding your health)
- Signing photos for proof of ID for passports, driving licenses, etc
- Health Verification Forms for NMC applications/renewals
How to make a private medical work request
To make a private medical work request, please:
- Use the “Contact the Practice” form on Engage Consult and attach any additional files at the very end of the form
- Hand your request over to our reception staff, preferably in an envelope marked “For the attention of the Private Medical Work Team”
- Send your request to us via post, preferably in an envelope marked “For the attention of the Private Medical Work Team”
- Ask your employer/insurance company to contact us
- Pass your request through to your GP during your appointment who will then contact the private medical work team with your request. Please note: your GP will not be able to complete your form during normal NHS working hours.
Frequently asked questions
How can I help my GP when I send in my request?
There are several ways that you can help your GP when you submit a private medical work request:
Check if the form needs to be signed by your GP – some forms allow them to be signed by another person of authority, such as a bank worker, teacher, or other health professional. Please check this first.
Do not expect your request to be completed immediately – it takes time for us to process your requests. We will contact you with any updates or requests for further information.
Avoid contacting us regularly for updates – your private medical work will not be completed quicker if you contact us regularly for updates. We will contact you with any updates or requests for further information. If you have not heard from us about your request after a few weeks, please contact us.
Make sure that any information that you can complete first is done – some forms, such as holiday cancellation forms and private insurance forms, ask you to complete some information before passing to your GP. To process your request quicker and easier, please make sure that you have filled out all the information you can before passing through to your GP.
Attach a cover letter for your request – we can complete your request quicker if we understand why you are requesting the work to be completed. Please attach a cover letter or note to your request so that we understand your reasons for making your request.
Do you charge for private medical work?
We charge for private medical work as it is not covered by the NHS and therefore GPs are not paid for their time spent doing private medical work. The charges for private medical work are to cover the time processing, reviewing, and completing your request.
We will contact you with information regarding prepayment once we receive your request to review. We prefer to receive prepayment via bank transfer, but you may be able to prepay in practice under special circumstances. Sometimes you may be asked to pay on collection of your completed request.
For our current private medical work fees (as of April 2025) – Private Medical Work Fees April 2025
Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If items are not listed, GP’s have the discretion to charge the appropriate fee. We strive to reflect the charges in accordance with the British Medical Association’s suggested fees.
How long will it take to complete my paperwork?
NHS GPs must complete their private medical work outside of their normal clinic hours as it is not covered by their NHS contract. This means that our GPs must find time outside of their busy schedules to complete private medical work. Some requests can be considerably lengthy and require our GPs to spend a long time reviewing and drafting reports. Treatment of our NHS patients takes priority, so private medical work may be delayed.
We currently estimate that complex requests may take up to 6-8 weeks to complete, whereas simpler requests may be completed sooner. We cannot guarantee when your form will be completed. We will chase our GPs when the deadline for your request is approaching. You may contact us for an update but we cannot guarantee that we can complete it sooner.
Some requests may need to be completed urgently. We may refuse these requests if we do not believe that we can complete them in time. We advise that in these circumstances that you look to have your request completed by a different provider (which may be a private provider).
All private medical work is currently processed by one member of staff with some additional support. We request that you are patient with the team as they may be overwhelmed with requests, thank you.
I would like my GP to sign this form. Can this be done on the same day if I bring the form in?
We are unable to pass your paperwork to be signed by the GP on the same day that you bring it in.
When a doctor signs paperwork or completes a report, it is a condition of remaining on the Medical Register that they only sign what they know to be true. This means that our GPs must review your medical record to ensure that what they are signing is correct. This may take some time if your medical record is extensive, as they must review the information that we hold.
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. Inaccurate information also affect the patients. Therefore, we must take your paperwork for processing and review, and cannot complete on the same day.
Do I need an appointment to speak to my GP about my request? Will my GP complete my request in an appointment?
It is unlikely that you will need to see your GP for your private medical work request. If you would like to see your GP regarding your request, please add a note to your request when you pass it through to the team so that we can review. If we think that you need to see your GP, we will contact you to arrange an appointment. Private medical work is to be completed outside of normal GP NHS working hours, so your GP will not be able to complete your paperwork in a standard GP appointment.
I would like access to my medical records. Can you provide this?
The private medical work team also currently help with online access and requesting copies of your medical records.
For more information and guidance on how to request – Accessing Your Medical Records