Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to ensure constituents are financially supported when requesting a letter from their GP.

There are some medical evidence letters, certificates or reports that general practices (GPs) may charge for, and others that they must not charge patients for. The legislation that sets this out is The National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts and Personal Medical Services Agreements) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2023, which form the basis of the GP contract with the NHS. There is no statutory limit to the level of such fees as this is outside of core NHS work.

The Professional Fees Committee of the British Medical Association suggests guideline fees for such services to help doctors set their own professional fees. We are continuing to work across Government to cut red tape and improve ways of working, including work to improve the patient experience, such as removing the need to request unnecessary medical evidence where possible.