Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of GP fees for (a) letters requested to support applications relating to (i) mental health, (ii) housing, (iii) education and (iv) welfare and (b) other non-NHS letters on patients; and whether he plans to issue guidance to GP practices on fee structures for such documentation in cases involving (A) financial hardship and (B) vulnerable people.

There are some medical evidence letters, certificates, and/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 General Medical Services and Personal Medical Services Regulations, which form the basis of the GP Contract with the National Health Service. 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 recognise that there are concerns about some fees GPs charge for letters and the consistency of those charges, as well as the additional burden these requests can place on GPs. Where GPs charge for that evidence, these charges should be clear, fair, and consistent. Where possible and appropriate we would encourage people to use alternative evidence.

We are continuing to work across the 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.