Fees / Charges
Blue Badge Scheme
The Blue Badge Scheme enables people with a recognised disability to park in disabled parking spaces. in 2011, the government announced a programme of reforms to the Blue Badge Scheme. The reforms meant the transfer of the assessments for blue badge eligibility from GPs to independent mobility...
Certification - Bus Pass
In England, individuals can apply for a bus pass for free travel when they reach their state pension age (60 in London and Wales). The 'eligible disabled' (as described in the list below) may also apply for a pass, and patients may attend with forms for the doctor to sign to prove eligibility....
Certification - Chargeable
In 2001 the Government recognised that GPs were spending too much time doing unnecessary paperwork. After much consideration it produced a consultation document called Making A Difference: Reducing General Practitioner Paperwork However, GPs still receive many requests for reports from...
Certification - Child Performers
Most children taking part in non-commercial performances do not require a licence to perform and, even if a licence is required for commercial work, the Local Education Authority may have discretion as to whether a medical certificate is required. In this instance, a child is considered to...
Certification - Jury Service
Medical certificates are not normally required when someone feels they have grounds to be excused from Jury Service. However, the summoning officer will occasionally request one, and we would recommend that you produce a letter stating only the facts for the summoning officer to consider and...
Certification - Low Calorie Diets
Patients often approach GPs with forms to fill out before they can embark on some low calorie diets. You may find this information useful: You do not have to fill out these forms You can charge a reasonable fee for filling out the form Much of the data, weight and BP is part of normal GMS...
Certification - Non Chargeable
The following is a list of obligations relating to Certification by GPs: GPs are obliged to provide data essential for a clinical referral free of charge. A GP has a statutory duty to supply a registered patient, free of charge, with any of the prescribed certificates set out in Schedule 4 of...
Certification - Parachute Jumps
The profession is divided. Some GPs say 'don't touch them with a barge pole' and others do them and charge appropriately. Considerations: you are not obliged to provide this service if you feel competent to sign these forms you may and you may charge (even if 'it's for charity') a small study...
Certification - SCUBA
What should you do if a patient wants you to confirm their suitability to do SCUBA diving? This is not part of GMS so you do not have to provide this service to your patients. You may do so if you feel competent to make this assessment. If you do this work you must consider how you resource...
Certification - Shared Lives
Shared Lives is a national idea rolled out to Local Authorities to encourage citizens to help share the lives of vulnerable adults. It is an excellent scheme that encourages people within communities to help vulnerable adults and get paid, while saving the state significant sums of money. Your...
Certification - Sickness
GP Fit Certificates - Statement of Fitness to Work (Med 3) The fit note was introduced to replace the old sick note in 2010. Doctors issue fit notes to individuals to provide evidence of the advice the doctor has given about the individual's fitness for work. The fit note allows doctors to...
Collaborative Arrangements
Since 1974 the collaborative arrangements have enabled local authorities to secure primary care medical services essential for the provision of education, social services and public health at no charge to the patient. The main areas covered by collaborative arrangements (involving certificates...
Community Pharmacy - A Guide for GPs
This is an excellent summary of how Community Pharmacies work, the funding streams and contracting arrangements and the requirements for being a community pharmacist (training, qualification, control and regulation) written by PSNC, NHS employers and the BMA. The document, together with further...
Death Certification
Page Contents Verification of death Coroners Reports Coroner Contacts for Wessex Area Viewing the Body Free from Infection Certificate / Information- The Respective Roles of Coroners and Doctors in Certification of Death The LMC receives many queries on the subject of death...
Duration of Prescriptions and 7 day Prescribing
This is a recurrent issue and something that we are contacted about at the office on a regular basis with GPs and practices asking whether or not there is any obligation to provide prescriptions for seven days of medication. The answer is no - but never say never. There will be times when a...
DWP and other patient benefit claim forms
Certification - Patients Claiming Benefits Practices are not obliged, either by statute or contract, to complete reports requested by organizations assisting people with their claims for benefit. Practices may choose to do so and may charge a fee. Welfare Rights and CAB usually say that they...
Mandatory Certificate For Council Tax Discount Due To Severe Mental Impairment
People with severe mental impairment may seek special treatment with regards to both the size of the council tax bill and the identity of the person who is liable to pay it. The definition of severe mental impairment for this purpose is different from that used in the Mental Health Act. The...
Notifiable Diseases
The Health Protection (Notification) Regulations 2010 Registered medical practitioners (RMPs) have a statutory duty to notify the 'proper officer' at their local council or local health protection team (HPT - see below) of suspected cases of certain infectious diseases. Send the form to the...
Personal Administration Fees
It is noted in the General Medical Services Statement of Financial Entitlements Directions 2021 (Page 37) , Area Teams must make personal administration payments to all non-dispensing GMS contractors for the following; vaccines, anaesthetics and injections (with the exception of vaccines...
What can the LMC do for Locum / Sessional GPs
As the only representative body of all local GPs recognised in statute, LMCs throughout the UK play a vital role in supporting and promoting general practice. In particular: LMC committee members influence the policy of the BMA's General Practitioners Committee through the UK and England...
