Non-NHS Services

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

Please contact reception for further information or to book an appointment.

Non-urgent advice: Please Note

– We do not provide medicals or sign reports that would declare if a patient is fit for flying, joining a gym, running a marathon etc.
– We do not have the resources to undertake the necessary cardiovascular tests and full medical examination that would provide the doctor with enough information to make an informed decision.
– You will need to find a private provider for this. 

Fee List for Non-NHS Work
-from 1st April 2025

CertificatesPrivate Sick Note£27.00
Fitness to Attend Gym/School (no medical)£27.00
Kent Police Firearms Proforma£81.00
MedicalsFitness to drive (Elderly, Racing etc)£162.00
Taxi Medical£162.00
HGV/LGV£162.00
Shotgun medical (payable by patient)£135.00
Life Assurance£216.00
Pre-Employment Medicals + Examination£216.00
Adoption & FosteringForms IHA-C and IHA-YP. Initial health assessment and report£270.00
Forms RHA-C and RHA-YP. Review health assessment & Report£216.00
Form M/B-obstetric report on birth mother and neo-natal report£81.00
Form AH-health assessment on prospective carer£216.00
Form AH2-update report on patient/carer£54.00
ReportsGP Report for Insurance applicants (PMA)£162.00
GP Supplementary Report for Insurance applicants£43.00
Insurance Claim Verification£43.00
Targeted Insurance Report£81.00
Pre-employment Report£162.00
Social Services Report (for case conferences)£54.00
Ofsted report for registered childminder£81.00
Private Fostering check-KCC£81.00
Christchurch University Health Questionnaire£27.00
Almshouses Form£27.00
Army Report£162.00
Citizen Advice Bureau Report£54.00
Camp America£54.00
Other long reports£108.00
Other short reports£54.00
SolicitorLiving Will witness£54.00
Claim FormsCancellation of Holiday-Insurance Claim Form£43.00
Private Medical Insurance Claim Form£43.00
Miscellaneous Forms£43.00
OtherPrivate Phlebotomy (to take blood sample only. Form and bottles to be provided by private provider and separate charge by private provider for specimen analysis)£43.00
Passport/Driving Licence counter signature£54.00
Lighter Life£54.00
Housing Letter£27.00
Other long patient letter£43.00
Other short patient letter£27.00
TravelPrivate Prescription (Travel-this does not include the cost of the drug which is payable directly to the pharmacy)£27.00
Vaccination Certificate£27.00
Fitness to Travel£27.00
Hepatitis AFree
TyphoidFree
Rivaxis (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Polio)Free

FAQs

From BMA Guidance about 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’s 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:

  • accident or sickness certificates for insurance purposes  
  • school fee and holiday insurance certificates  
  • private letters  

Examples of non-NHS services for which GPs can charge other institutions:  

  • life assurance and income protection reports for insurance companies  
  • reports for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in connection  
  • with disability living allowance and attendance allowance  
  • medical reports for local authorities in connection with adoption and fostering  

Do GPs have to do non-NHS work for their patients?  

With certain limited exceptions, for example a GP confirming that one of their patients is not fit for jury service, GPs do not have to carry out non-NHS work on behalf of their patients.  

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. 

Is it true that the BMA sets fees for non-NHS work?  

The BMA suggest fees that GPs may charge their patients for non-NHS work (ie work not covered under their contract with the NHS) in order to help GPs set their own professional fees.  

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 or her 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.  

In order to complete even the simplest of forms, therefore, 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.  

What can I do to help 

  • 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.  
  • If you have several forms requiring completion, present them all at once and ask your GP if he or she is prepared to complete them at the same time to speed up the process.  
  • 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.  

What type of report work doesn’t have to be done by my GP?  

There is some medical examination and report work that can be done by any doctor, not only a patient’s GP. For this work there are no set or recommended fees which means doctors may set their own fees.

Travel Health

If you are travelling abroad, please follow the steps below:

1. Visit Fit For Travel

Visit website www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk

  • Click on DESTINATION and locate your travel destination(s)

2. Book an Appointment

If you require any of the below NHS vaccines (free of charge) then print off the vaccination information and book an appointment to see the Practice Nurse 6-8 weeks prior to your departure. You will need to bring the printed off vaccination information to your appointment.

Hepatitis A
Typhoid
Tetanus/Diptheria/Polio
Cholera
– Cholera vaccination is not required routinely for travellers. Should only be considered following a full risk assessment, for the following categories of traveller:
— Relief or disaster aid workers
— Persons with remote itineraries in areas where cholera epidemics are occurring and there is limited access to medical care
— Travellers to potential cholera risk areas, for whom vaccination is considered potentially beneficial

    3. Organise further required vaccination

    If you require any other travel vaccinations not available on the NHS (such as Japanese Encephalitis, Tick-borne Encephalitis, Meningitis vaccine, Rabies, Tuberculosis and Yellow Fever), please visit a travel clinic or contact:

    • Please note: Faversham Medical Practice is NO longer a Yellow Fever Centre.
    • Please note: We no longer provide travel forms for completion.

    X-ray

    Patients can get their X-ray done at Faversham Health Centre

    • Open 10am-4pm Monday to Friday.
    • Patients needing a Chest X-ray can either walk in and wait, or can book an appointment via link below.
    • Patients needing any other form of X-ray (such as hip/knee/back/hand etc) will need to book their appointment in advance or else phone 01227 864249.
    • All X-rays are linked to the local hospital trust for viewing.

    Shingles Vaccinations

    Currently in Kent and Medway, less than half of our eligible population have attended for their shingles vaccine. Vaccination can help patients avoid the pain and complications caused by shingles.

    Eligible patients aged 70-79 can have the vaccine. We will contact patients directly to book in for this, but you can also contact reception to book in if your are eligible.

    Postnatal and New baby checks

    You will be contacted for an appointment with your registered GP 8 weeks following the birth of your baby. 

    During this appointment the doctor will examine both you and your baby and the nurse will give your baby their first set of immunisations.

    a woman with a stethoscope examines a baby's chest

    Minor Operations and Joint Injections

    Most minor operations and joint injections can be done in our treatment room.

    You would need to see a GP first before you can booked in.

    • Only certain GPs are able to do these procedures, so please check at reception for this.

    Family Planning 

    The practice provides a full range of family planning services, including the contraception pill, depo injection, implant and coils.

    If you are interested in the implant or coil, please book to see Dr Sawitzky or Dr George.

    condom and tablet packs

    Child Health/Vaccinations 

    All vaccinations are done by our Practice Nurses. Please make an appointment at the appropriate time for these to be done.

    • Please check your “Red Book” for appropriate times.

    Cervical Screening 

    The practice nurses and the doctors take cervical smears in-line with NHS guidelines.

    • aged 25 to 49 – every three years
    • aged 50 to 64 – every five years
    • over 65 – only women who haven’t been screened since age 50 or those who have recently had abnormal tests

    If you have not had your regular smear and have had a letter from the local health authority inviting you for one, please make an appointment to see the nurse. You will receive a letter advising you of the result from the health authority. 

    Breast Screening 

    The NHS Breast Screening Programme offers a free breast screening service every three years to women aged 50-70 who are registered with a GP.

    Every woman will receive her first screening invitation by her 53rd birthday.

    Women over the age of 70 can self-refer for a screening mammogram every three years by contacting their local screening office (01227 783000) to make an appointment.