Some services provided are not covered under our contract with the NHS and therefore attract charges. Examples include the following:

• Medicals for pre-employment, sports and driving requirements (HGV, PSV etc.)
• Insurance claim forms
• Prescriptions for taking medication abroad
• Vaccination certificates

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.

This is for guidance only and fees may change without notice. Standard letters are charged from £35 - £50 at Doctors discretion.

We Accept Cash Only - Thank you for your co-operation

Certificates and Forms

Medical examinations and reports

These fees apply if there is a medical examination required prior to the completion of the form.

Travel Abroad

Vaccination certificate * this is included in vaccination fee

Why do I have to pay?

The NHS provides most health services to people free of charge at point of need (although there are some exceptions such as prescription charges). For services that are not covered by the NHS there is a private fee charged to cover the responsibility taken and the time spent by doctors and administrative staff. We aim to keep the charges for professional services at an appropriate level.

What is and what isn’t covered?

The Government’s contract with GP’s does include some specialist forms (eg from the Department of Work and Pensions) and some organisations pay GP’s directly to complete reports (eg. DVLA and certain insurance company reports). These are usually sent directly to the GP, so if you have been given a form to bring it’s likely that you will need to pay a fee. Some examples and the relevant charges are listed on the back of this leaflet. If you are unsure about anything please ask.

Why can’t I get it done here and now?

At Newham Medical Centre, we want to spend our time providing excellent quality healthcare to our patients. Completing the increasing number of reports that are requested takes time away from patient care. We acknowledge that these reports are important to you and need to be completed but clinical care has to be our priority. We will aim to complete short letters and reports as soon as possible.

Why do I have to pay upfront?

In the past GPs have written many letters and completed many forms and reports that have not subsequently been collected and paid for. This has wasted valuable time which could have been used for patient care.

If a medical is booked and the patient fails to attend this wastes not only the doctors time but also our secretaries time as well, when they could both have seen other patients.

But all I need is a doctor to sign it or it is only a three sentence letter!

When a doctor signs a certificate, letter or report, it is a condition of the Medical Register that they only sign what they know to be true. In order to complete even the simplest form or write the

simplest letter the GP may have to read a large amount of medical records, then the letter has to be dictated, the secretary has to type it, all of which takes up valuable time.

What you need to do next

Once you have requested a letter or form to be completed by the GP, a staff member will notify you of the agreed fee and requested that the fee be paid in full by using cash or cheque. We do not accept debit or credit cards.  The receptionist will provide you with a receipt as proof of payment.  The receptionist will inform the secretaries/GP that payment has been received and your letter/form will be completed.  We ask for 5 working days from request and we will advise you if this may take longer due to for example GP absence. When you come back to collect your letter/form please bring your receipt with you and a proof of photo ID.

If you are requesting a medical a similar process will be followed, payment in full has to be made before the medical can be confirmed as being booked with the GP. (If you then fail to attend the appointment or do not give us 24 hours’ notice of cancellation or if you attend for the medical without bringing the appropriate documentation/papers you may still be charged.)