Some services fall outside your NHS contract and carry a private fee. Here is everything you need to know before making a request — including what qualifies, how long it takes, and what you will be charged.
The National Health Service provides most healthcare to most people free of charge — but there are exceptions. The Government's contract with GPs covers medical services to NHS patients, but does not cover non-NHS work.
GPs are largely self-employed and must cover their practice costs — staff, buildings, heating, lighting — in the same way as any small business. In recent years, more and more organisations have asked doctors to carry out a wide range of non-medical paperwork, often simply because they are in a position of trust in the community, or because an insurance company wants verified information.
Our GPs carry out non-NHS work outside of NHS hours — in evenings or at weekends — so that NHS patient care is never compromised. 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. Even the simplest of forms may require the doctor to review a patient's entire medical record.
Important: Carelessness or an inaccurate report can have serious consequences for the doctor with the General Medical Council — or even the Police. This is why every request, however simple it may appear, requires careful and thorough consideration.
Understanding the professional weight behind every document we sign
It is a common and entirely reasonable question. The form is short, the patient is known to us, and the signature itself takes a moment. So why does it take two weeks and carry a fee?
When a GP places their signature on a certificate, report, or letter, they are not simply confirming that a person exists. They are staking their professional reputation and medical licence on the accuracy of every word. A GP signature carries significant medicolegal weight — it represents years of clinical training, a duty of honesty enshrined in Good Medical Practice, and a personal endorsement that can be scrutinised by courts, insurers, the GMC, and employers.
Before signing even the briefest document, a GP must typically review the patient's entire medical record — not just the relevant condition — to ensure nothing has been overlooked, misrepresented, or contradicts what is being certified. If a document later proves inaccurate, the consequences for the doctor can be severe: referral to the General Medical Council, loss of licence to practise, or in serious cases, criminal liability.
Requests also vary enormously in complexity. Signing a certificate confirming a patient is unfit for jury service may take minutes. Producing a full medical report for a life assurance company, a DVLA assessment, or an adoption panel can take several hours of careful review, writing, and cross-referencing. All of this is carried out outside NHS hours — in evenings or at weekends — so it has no impact on the care of other patients.
This is not bureaucracy for its own sake. It is the standard the Medical Register demands — and the standard your documents deserve.
The following are examples of services that fall outside the NHS contract, for which a private fee may be charged. This list is not exhaustive — please contact reception if you are unsure whether your request qualifies.
Fees are set in accordance with BMA guidance. The table below gives an indication of typical charges — exact fees depend on complexity and are available on request.
| Service | Indicative Fee |
|---|---|
| Simple letter or confirmation | From £30 |
| Fitness to travel letter | From £40 |
| Holiday cancellation report | From £45 |
| Insurance or accident report | From £75 |
| Full medical examination and report | From £120 |
| DVLA / HGV / taxi report | BMA rate |
| Adoption or fostering medical report | BMA rate |
| Solicitor / legal records request | BMA rate |
In line with BMA guidance, all non-NHS work must be paid for in advance of the request being processed. We are unable to begin work until payment has been received. We accept payment by card or cash at reception.
Please allow up to 14 days for most requests. Some complex reports (such as those for adoption or legal proceedings) may take up to 28 days. Do not leave requests to the last minute — urgent processing may incur an additional fee.
If you have recently registered with us, your previous GP records may not yet have been received. We are unable to complete any form or report until we hold your full medical record. Please enquire at reception about the current status of your records.
We strongly recommend calling reception on 0208 574 5136 before submitting any request. We will confirm the fee, likely turnaround time, and whether the GP is able to assist — before you pay anything.
Follow these steps to ensure your request is processed as smoothly and quickly as possible. Incomplete submissions or missing payment will delay turnaround.
Call us on 0208 574 5136, visit reception in person, or request online. We will confirm whether your GP is able to assist, advise on the exact fee, and give you an estimated completion date.
Where applicable, complete all patient-facing sections of the form before bringing it to the surgery. Read the instructions carefully — some forms do not require a GP signature at all.
Payment must accompany your request or be made in advance at reception. We accept card and cash. Work cannot begin until payment is confirmed.
Your GP will complete the form outside of NHS hours. Standard turnaround is up to 14 days, and up to 28 days for complex reports. Do not submit urgent requests expecting immediate completion.
Reception will contact you by phone when your form or report is ready. You may collect it from the surgery in person. We will not post forms unless specifically agreed in advance.
If you are pregnant and need a fitness to travel letter, many airlines require it to be signed within 48 hours of your departure date. Please note we are generally unable to provide this letter if you are due within 30 days of travel or if your pregnancy is considered high-risk. Contact reception well in advance.
With certain limited exceptions, GPs have no legal obligation to carry out non-NHS work. Our GPs will always try to help where they can, but may decline requests that are outside their expertise or where completing the form would not be in the patient's best interests.
If you have several forms or reports to complete, present them all at the same time and ask your GP whether they can be processed together. Combining requests is more efficient and may reduce the overall cost and waiting time.
Need to discuss a non-NHS request with your GP first? Book a consultation online, by phone, or in person.
View appointment options →All information in your medical record is held in strict confidence. Any release of records for non-NHS purposes requires your explicit consent.
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