Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to review the policy of permitting General Practices to charge individuals for letters confirming a patient's health condition.

There are no current plans to do so. The General Medical Services and Personal Medical Services Regulations sets out those medical evidence letters, certificates or reports which practices may charge for. While there is no statutory limit to the level of such a fee, NHS England would expect practices to charge a reasonable sum appropriate for the workload involved. The British Medical Association’s Professional Fees Committee publishes guidance for practices on setting these fees. Where it is necessary for general practitioners to provide medical evidence and charge for that evidence, charges should be clear, fair and consistent.