Why does my GP sometimes charge fees? Surely the doctor is being paid anyway?
It is important to understand that many 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 fees charged by GPs contribute towards their costs.
What is covered by the NHS and what is not?
The Government contract with GPs covers medical services to NHS patients, including the provision of ongoing medical treatment. In recent years, however, more and more organisations have been involving doctors in a whole range of non-medical 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.
Examples of non-NHS services for which GPs can charge their own NHS patients:
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Accident or sickness certificates for insurance purposes
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School fee and holiday insurance certificates
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Reports for health clubs to certify that patients are fit to exercise
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 their patients. Most GPs have a very heavy workload 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.
Therefore, in order to complete even the simplest of forms, 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 (the doctors' regulatory body) or even the police.
What will I be charged?
We recommend that GPs tell patients in advance if they will be charged, and what the fee will be. It is up to individual doctors to decide how much they will charge, but we produce lists of suggested fees which many doctors use. Surgeries often have lists of fees on the waiting room wall based on these suggested fees.
Vaccinations: Free Travel Vaccinations
The following travel vaccinations are free on the NHS:
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Polio (given as a tetanus, diphtheria and polio booster)
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Typhoid
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Cholera
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Hepatitis A (first dose only)
These vaccines are free because they protect against diseases thought to represent the greatest risk to public health if they were brought into the country.
Private Travel Vaccinations
You're likely to have to pay for travel vaccinations against meningococcal meningitis, hepatitis B, yellow fever, rabies, tuberculosis, Japanese encephalitis and tick-borne encephalitis regardless of whether you have the vaccinations at your GP surgery or at a private travel clinic.
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