Isn’t the NHS supposed to be free?
The National Health Service provides most health care to most people free of charge but, there are exceptions:

• Prescription charges still exist in England and there is a number of other services for which fees are charged.
• Sometimes the charge is made because the service is not covered by the NHS, e.g. medical reports for insurance companies, claim forms for referral for private care, letters and forms which require the doctor to review the patient’s medical records, etc.
• If you are booking a medical please tell the receptionist when booking so that a longer appointment can be allocated. Some medicals will need to be carried out by a GP other than your own. A charge may apply for certain medicals which can only be booked privately, such as employment and insurance medicals as well as for other items such as certain travel vaccinations.

Surely the doctor is being paid anyway?
It is important to understand that 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 pays the doctor for specific NHS work, but for non-NHS work the fee has to cover the doctor’s costs.

What is covered by the NHS and what is not?
The government’s contract with GPs covers medical services to NHS patients. In recent years, more and more organisations have been involving doctors in a whole range of non-medical work.

Examples of non-NHS services for which GPs at Foundry Healthcare charge their NHS patients are:

• Certain travel vaccinations
• Private medical insurance reports
• Holiday cancellation claim forms
• To whom it may concern / ad hoc letters

Letters we may decline to do:
Sometimes your GP may feel a letter is unnecessary and decline to write one. This may include:

• Confirmation of a child’s attendance for school in the case of a minor illness
• Proof of attendance for an employer
• Ad hoc letters to third parties without written consent or confirmation of payment

Examples of non-NHS services for which GPs at Foundry Healthcare may charge other institutions are:

• Medical reports for an insurance company / solicitor
• Some reports for the DSS/Benefits Agency
• Examinations of local authority employees

Do not expect your GP to process forms overnight.
Urgent requests may mean that a doctor has to make special arrangements to process the form quickly and this will cost more.

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 his/her patients. GPs have a very heavy workload and paperwork takes up an increasing amount of their time.

I only need the doctor’s signature!

When doctors sign a certificate or complete 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 needs to check the patient’s medical record. Carelessness or an inaccurate report can have serious consequences for the doctor, with the General Medical Council or even the Police. The charge reflects either the time required to check information and/or the degree of responsibility in signing the document. If a form is required urgently (e.g. within 48 hours) then this will increase the charge.

What will I be charged?

The BMA recommends that GPs tell patients in advance if they will be charged, and how much. It is up to the individual practice to decide how much to charge, but the BMA produces lists of suggested fees for the doctors to use as a guideline.

Charges at Foundry Healthcare Lewes
A list of our charges can be found below. In the past we have completed reports and forms before payment has been made, but have sadly found there to be many occasions when the doctor has given up the time to do the work, but the fee has not been forthcoming. Therefore the fee must be paid in advance at the time the request for the letter or form to be completed is made or when the appointment for a medical is booked.

WE CANNOT MAKE EXCEPTIONS

Passport Applications
We do not provide a passport signing service. You could ask another person in a position of trust, who may be willing to sign a passport application free of charge. Possibly a teacher, an accountant, etc. including those who are retired.

Access to Medical Records (View Only)
Free of Charge, by appointment only. To be completed within 28days

Access to Medical Records (Copy per Sheet)
Free of Charge – Please consider View Only option above to save on cost and have a lesser impact on the environment

Complete set of Medical Records
Minimum of:
GP Time @£85 per hour to check through notes
Admin time @£15 per hour, to redact/copy etc.
Paper/Photocopy @10p per sheet
Postage – dependent on what, where and how it is to be sent

Private Consultation  @£35 (10min consultation) / @£65 (20min consultation)
Private Letter / To Whom it May Concern @£20
Private Prescription (no consultation) @£15
Private Sickness Certificate – Patient @£25 (simple) / @£30-£60 (Complex)
Private Sickness Certificate – Employer Request @£25 (simple) / @£30-£60 (Complex)

Tests

DNA Swabs – Child/Paternity Blood Test or Swab @£40 (per patient)
Private Blood Test* @£20 (plus laboratory testing fee*)
*Additional charge will be added by EDGH to process the blood. This will be payable to EDGH.

Bus Pass Form @£20
Certificate: Other (extract from notes) @£65
Driving Licence Form (report only) @£90
DVLA Medical Fitness Report (examination and report) @£125
DVLA Medical Fitness to Drive (extract from notes) @£65
Elderly Driver Fitness to Drive (examination and report) @£125
Elderly Driver Fitness to Drive (extract from notes) @£65
Elderly Driver Fitness to Drive (report only) @£90
Fitness to Travel @£30 (Simple) / @£30-£60 (Complex)
Fitness to Travel Statement with Medical @£125
Fitness to Travel with Pre-Existing Illness (report only) @£90
Holiday Cancellation Form @£45 (Simple) / @£60 (Complex)
Jockey Medical (examination and report) @£125
Jockey Medical (extract from notes) @£65
Jockey Medical (report only) @£90
Racing Driving Fitness (examination and report) @£125
Racing Driving Fitness (extract from notes) @£65
Racing Driving Fitness (report only) @£90
Seat Belt Exemption @£50
Seat Belt Exemption (incl. report) @£100
Taxi, HGV, PSV and Hackney Carriage (examination and report) @£125
Taxi, HGV, PSV and Hackney Carriage (extract from notes)@£65
Taxi, HGV, PSV and Hackney Carriage (report only) @£90

Firearms/Shotgun Licence @£30
Fitness to Attend Private School (examination and report) @£125
Fitness to Attend Private School (report only) @£90
PADI Fitness for Diving/Fitness for Gym (examination and report) @£125
PADI Fitness for Diving/Fitness for Gym (extract from note) @£65
PADI Fitness for Diving/Fitness for Gym (report only) @£90
Sports Medical (examination and report) @£125