Non-NHS Services - Letters, forms & fees

The National Health Service (NHS) provides the majority of healthcare services to most residents free of charge. However, there are instances where specific services are not covered by the NHS. These include, but are not limited to, medical reports required by insurance companies, and any documentation that necessitates the doctor to review the patient's medical records for purposes outside of standard NHS care. It is important to understand that GP's are not employed by the NHS, they are self employed, and have to cover their costs- staff, buildings, heating, lighting etc - in the same way as any small business.

The processing time for medical forms and letters varies depending on complexity. We aim to complete most forms within 14-28 working days. Urgent requests may require special arrangements and may not always be possible as completing paperwork takes time away from physical patient care. GPs have heavy workloads, and paperwork significantly contributes to this. Non-NHS work, such as processing these forms, is typically conducted outside of contracted NHS hours.

You can find more information regarding charges and timeframes on the British Medical Association website.

Please note:

Not all documents need a 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.

For Passport and naturalisation applications a GP has to have known the patient or in the case of the child the parents for a certain period of time. The GP has the right to refuse if he/she has not known the patient for the defined period of time or if he/she feels they would not be able to recognise the child from the photograph.

Please be aware that some reports may take more time, as the doctor might have to check the patient’s entire medical records. Carelessness or an inaccurate report can have serious consequences for the doctor with the General Medical Council (GMC) or even the police. 

Whilst GPs will always attempt to assist their patients with the completion of forms, for example for insurance purposes, they are not required to do such non-NHS work.

Prepayment will be required for any form & report.