Charging patients who fail to attend non-NHS medicals
GPs and practice staff often find it frustrating when a non-NHS medical (or other chargeable non-NHS work) has been booked, such as for a taxi licence, and the patient fails to attend. However, this does not mean that the practice can automatically charge the patient for non-attendance.
The arrangement for the medical is purely a private one between the patient and the doctor, so unless it has been explicitly specified at the time of booking that failure to attend will result in a charge being levied, it will be difficult to enforce a payment request. Sometimes even when patients have been advised it can be difficult obtaining the payment.
The simplest thing to do to avoid this problem is have a clear policy that all chargeable non-NHS work has to be paid for prior to it being undertaken and is non-refundable unless a minimum of 48 hours cancellation is given.
Last updated : 22 Aug 2018Londonwide LMCs' January 2018 newsletter (24 Jan 2018)
Get ready now for the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (23 Jan 2018)
Data protection law changes in 2018. Practices need to be ready for the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which comes into force on 25 May 2018. NHS guidance on what...LMC elections 2018 (23 Jan 2018)
It’s LMC election time again at Londonwide LMCs! This year every LMC seat is up for election. Any GP working in one of the 27 London boroughs we represent may...Obituary: Dr Param-Jeet Singh Sandhu 1947-2018 (23 Jan 2018)
General Practitioner, Hammond Road Practice, Southall, Middlesex. (Birth 1947 q. Punjabi University 1972 – Died on 5th January 2018 from metastatic carcinoma of the prostate at the age of 70...Tips of the week December/January 2018 (22 Jan 2018)
We provide weekly tips based on common queries which come through to us from London GPs and practice teams. These are shared via social media and collated for...Local authority reports and letters reimbursement under collaborative arrangements (22 Jan 2018)
Dr Elliott Singer, Medical Director at Londonwide LMCs, recently wrote to the local authorities (LAs) in the 27 London boroughs covered by Londonwide LMCs to raise the issue of practices not...Why being able to summarise medical records still matters in the digital age (22 Jan 2018)
High quality training for medical notes summarising remains vital for general practice says Hilary Andrews, Nurse Advisor/Freelance Trainer for HAT Training and Medical Services Training. Summarising medical records is hardly...GPC regional election nominations 2018 (18 Jan 2018)
Nominations are open for the round of GPC regional elections to cover terms from 2018-21. In London two seats are up for election: Enfield and Haringey, Camden and Islington,...Mword - Issue 34 (21 Dec 2017)
Londonwide LMCs' December 2017 newsletter (20 Dec 2017)
Guidance
We provide expert guidance for practices in our guidance section, as well as an archive of other materials you may find useful.
GP Support
Contact our GP Support team if you need help or advice.
The team provide professional and pastoral support to GPs and practice teams on a broad range of issues.
follow us on...
