Non NHS Work/Private Fees

Forms, Letters, Certificates and Private Prescriptions

Some forms, letters and reports are not covered under NHS care and private fees are therefore charged.

Sick Certificates

A private fee is payable if a patient requires a certificate to cover absence from work due to illness for less than seven days, or to cover absence from school or other educational institute.

Fit to Travel Letters

Letters to confirm that a patient is fit to travel (due to pregnancy or any other medical condition), unfit to travel or needs to carry specific medications whilst they travel.

Private Healthcare Claim Forms

Letters to outside agencies such as borough housing departments, housing trusts, social services, gymnasiums.

Private Prescriptions

Private prescriptions for travel medicines such as antimalarial medications, or larger quantities of medications required because of leaving the UK for a period of greater than one month. There are also a  small number of drugs which can only be prescribed privately.

Insurance Reports and Medicals

If you require an insurance medical report (for example for a life insurance or critical illness insurance application) then arrangements will need to be made for this to be completed outside normal NHS consulting hours. Reports for insurance companies attract a fee, which is usually paid directly by the insurance company.

Reports or examinations for employers, educational institutions, gymnasiums, sporting activities such as marathons or scuba diving, all attract a private fee, which is payable in advance.

For any further queries please call the surgery and press option 4 to speak to Yvonne.

Private Referrals

GPs will refer to a private specialist when requested, if the referral is considered clinically appropriate.

If you are under the care of a private specialist, practice policy is that if the specialist initiates any medication, it should be prescribed by the specialist on a private prescription for at least the first month.

The practice may be able to prescribe ongoing NHS prescriptions after this date, if the GP agrees that the particular medication is appropriate for the patient under NHS guidelines.

Your specialist will need to write to the GP after each private appointment, just as is expected of NHS consultants, in order to update the practice regarding your ongoing care.

In some situations, for example medications that are prescribed outside of current NHS guidelines or can only be prescribed under specialist supervision, ongoing prescriptions will need to be private. Patients who see private GPs will be expected to obtain any prescriptions for their medications from their private GP.

Doctors prescribing medication have a clinical and medico legal responsibility to ensure that their patient is on the correct medication, and to monitor its effects. We are therefore unable to prescribe medication to patients who are being treated by doctors who are not informing the practice of the patient’s progress, or to patients who are abroad.

We ask patients to understand and respect that on some occasions a GP may decline to prescribe medication for appropriate clinical or medico legal reasons.

Private Vaccinations

Certain vaccines are not available on the NHS and are offered privately at Bridge Lane:

  • Chicken pox: £130 2 doses given over 6 weeks chicken pox.
  • Shingles: £180 1 dose only.
  • HPV Human Papillomavirus: Gardasil £450 3 doses given over 6 months.

Some patients are entitled to these vaccines under the NHS depending on their age. If you wish to have any of the above vaccines (or organise them for a child) please make an appointment with a nurse or speak to a nurse by phone to discuss.