“I need a letter from my GP”
Our doctors are frequently asked to provide private or ‘To Whom it May Concern’ letters or reports for third parties. The standard fee for this is £35, which is payable in advance. More complicated letters or reports may attract a higher fee.
“Why do I have to pay?”
The preparation of these letters or reports is not covered by the NHS. The doctor must complete them during their own time and as such there is a fee payable. All letters require the doctor to take time to review a patient’s medical records to ensure that the information provided is correct, then the doctor has to dictate the letter, and finally a medical secretary has to type and print it.
“How long will it take?”
Private letters do not take priority over NHS work and hence may take some time to prepare. Please allow at least two weeks.
“But I need it today/tomorrow/next week/sooner than that!”
In genuinely urgent cases, we will do our best to meet your deadline; however, we cannot promise this. If you cannot wait, we will refund your fee if the letter has not yet been written.
“The doctor has to write these exact words…”
We are very sorry, but we usually cannot accept requests for the doctor to write the letter in a specific way. The doctor will write what he or she knows is supported by your medical record, and his or her opinion on what that should be is final. Please use the form linked below to request your letter, but note that our doctors reserve the right to refuse your request or provide alternative wording.
Please note: if you insist on the doctor changing your letter to suit what you think it should say, or if you want to dictate the contents, we will withdraw our offer to write the letter and refund your fee. Please remember that the doctor is not obliged to write a letter for you at all, as this is not an NHS requirement.
“I want the doctor to write me a job reference.”
These kinds of requests are not appropriate and we will not be able to write a letter for you.
Examples of suitable requests:
- Fitness to travel, or cancellation of holidays
- Confirmation of medication or a medical condition
- Letters for school, universities,employers or courts, etc.
- Letters to the Council/housing requirements
Example of requests we cannot fulfil:
- Confirmation of address or other proof of residence or ID (We have no means of verifying this
- Countersigning passport applications (A GP is no longer required on the form)
- Letters stating something that is not supported by your medical record