Sexual Health Services

The sexual health services the practice offers are:

  • Contraception advice on combined oral contraceptive pill (cocp), progesterone only pill (pop) and long active contraception.
  • Hormonal emergency contraception.
  • Pregnancy testing, and referral to midwifery team.
  • Termination of pregnancy (TOP) advice and referral.
  • Sexually transmitted infection (STI) check and treatment.
  • Chlamydia screening.
  • HIV testing.

Chargeable Services

Some services provided are not covered under our contract with the NHS and therefore attract charges.

  • The fees charged are based on the British Medical Association (BMA) suggested scales and our reception staff will be happy to advise you about them along with appointment availability.
Click here to download the services fees

FAQs

When your doctor is asked to give medical information about you in the form of a report, letter or certificate, the request kick starts a series of processes.

This takes time and is not always straightforward or simple to complete. Some of the information is not available easily and will mean the doctor has to sort and select the right information for the request.

The doctor also must establish who is funding this work and if it is not part of their NHS work, agree a fee for this.

Many patients see their doctor as the embodiment of the NHS and all that it provides – free care at the point of delivery. However not all work doctors are asked to do is paid for by the NHS and many GPs are self-employed.

This means they must cover their time and costs – staff, buildings, heating, lighting, etc – in the same way as any small business. The NHS only pays for NHS work, any work outside of the NHS must be funded by other means and this is why fees are charged.

The National Health Service provides most health care to most people free of charge, but there are exceptions: prescription charges have existed since 1951, and there are a number of other services for which fees are charged.

Sometimes the charge is made to cover some of the cost of treatment, for example, dental fees; in other cases, it is because the service is not covered by the NHS, for example, medical reports for insurance companies.
The government’s contract with GPs covers medical services to NHS patients. In recent years, more and more organisations have been involving doctors in a whole range of non-medical work. Sometimes the only reason that GPs are asked is because they are in a position of trust in the community, or because an insurance company or employer wants to be sure that information provided is true and accurate.

Examples of non-NHS services for which GPs can charge their NHS patients are:
– Accident/sickness insurance certificates
– Certain travel vaccinations
– Private medical insurance reports

Examples of non-NHS services for which GPs can charge other institutions are:
– Medical reports for an insurance company
– Some reports for the DSS/Benefits agency
– Examinations of local authority employees
The BMA suggests fees for non-NHS work which is not covered under a GP’s NHS contract, to help GPs set their own professional fees. However, these fees are guidelines only, not recommendations, and a doctor is not obliged to charge the rates suggested.
When a doctor signs a certificate or completes a report, it is a condition of remaining on the medical register that they only sign what they know to be true. In order to complete even the simplest of forms, therefore, the doctor might have to check the patient’s entire medical record. Carelessness or an inaccurate report can have serious consequences for the doctor with the General Medical Council or even the police.
The fee charged will depend on the service required. Some simple requests can be as little as £30.00, but more complex requests will incur a higher fee. When you request a private medical service, you will be quoted an exact figure, so you are able to make an informed decision on whether to proceed.
You can pay by cash. You will be required to pay on the day of your examination or upon collection of your form/letter.

Your doctor receives large amounts of request and which is often to do with whether your general health allows you to do something e.g. to work, receive benefits, drive, play sport, attend school, own a house, a firearm or it is for insurance, court or other medico-legal reasons.

All requests will vary in complexity, volume and consistency ranging from signing a certificate which can take minutes, to an in-depth report with an examination that can take hours.

When your doctor signs a certificate or completes a report, it is a condition of remaining on the Medical Register that they only sign what they know to be true.

In order to complete even the simplest of forms, they may have to check your entire medical record (some of which may not be accessible on a computer or on site).

Carelessness or an inaccurate report can have serious consequences for the doctor with the General Medical Council (the doctors’ regulatory body) or even the Police.

Your doctor is inundated with work. They have to balance their time with treating the sick, keeping their practice afloat and making sure they are doing all of this safely and within their professional duties as a doctor.

With certain exceptions written within their contract, doctors do not have to carry out non-NHS work. However, many choose to for the benefit of you and other families they treat.

Where a doctor chooses to undertake the work, we advise them to inform and always agree a fee in advance of undertaking work.

Should their volume of work prove to be greater or more complex than expected, the doctor will contact you to discuss how to proceed.

– Not all documents need a signature by a doctor and can be done by other professionals. Please check the form and accompanying guidance as you may get a quicker response that way.

– If you have several forms requiring completion, present them all at once and ask your doctor if he or she is prepared to complete them at the same time to speed up the process.

– Do not expect your GP to process forms overnight. Urgent requests may mean that a doctor has to make special arrangements to process the form quickly, and this will cost more.

– Don’t book an appointment with your doctor to complete forms without checking with your doctor’s administrative staff as to whether you need to or not.

Digital Health Hub

Norfolk Libraries Digital Health Hub supports people to gain digital skills to access reliable health information for long term conditions, learn how to use GP online services, search the NHS website and help with the NHS App.

Sign up for a short 1 to 1 session:

Support may be offered online, but would normally take place in a Norfolk library during library opening hours.

If you have an immediate medical need please use the 111 service, or call the GP.

Non NHS Services

The practice is unable to complete requests for ‘Court of Protection’ or any ‘Power of Attorney’ forms and would advise seeking independent professional advice.

Fees for Non NHS Services – minimum fee of £30 applies.

Subject access requests under data protection regulations

Access to medical records – No fee

Certificates and forms

Accident/sickness insurance claim form £30

Private sick note £30

Medical examinations and reports

Comprehensive Examination and Report £185

Medical Reports (one page) £104

Medical Reports (more than one page) £133

Taxi medical, hgv, lgv, psv £140

Miscellaneous

To whom it may concern letter £30

Medication letter £30

Bus pass letter £30

Housing letter £30

Court of Protection – The practice is no longer accepting these requestsPower of Attorney – The practice is no longer accepting these requests

Travel abroad

Holiday Cancellation Certificate (minimum fee) £30

Fitness to Travel Attend Certificate £30

Fitness to Travel Attend Certificate with Exam £80

For all other consultation fees are available on request.

Please be advised we are no longer accepting any cheques from the end of year 2020.

Military Veterans Service

Military Veterans

East Norfolk Medical Practice is an ‘Armed Forces Veteran Friendly Accredited GP Practice’. If you are a veteran or are serving, please make sure that we have recorded this on your medical records. We ask all new patients who register if they are a veteran.

Armed Forces Serving Personnel and Veterans ID Card

All military veterans are entitled to priority access to NHS care (including hospital, primary or community care) for conditions associated to their time within the armed forces. However, this is always subject to clinical need and does not entitle you to jump the queue ahead of someone with a higher clinical need.

A veteran is defined as:

Anyone who has served for at least one day in the armed forces (regular or reserve)

Merchant navy seafarers and fishermen who have served in a vessel that was operated to facilitate military operations by the armed forces

An ID card for armed forces veterans is being issued to help access specialist support and services. These cards will allow veterans to maintain a tangible link to their career in the forces.

For more information, please see Veterans’ Gateway.

Healthcare for the armed forces community

For more information, please see Healthcare for the armed forces community – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Hearing Loss and Tinnitus Services

If you have acquired hearing loss and/or tinnitus relating to your time in service, additional support can be funded through the Veterans Hearing Fund download an application form.

Mobility Equipment Support

The Royal British Legion has a Veterans’ Mobility Fund which provides specialist wheelchairs, orthotic equipment, and other mobility related items for veterans. This is for individuals that have a service-related serious physical injury and whose needs cannot be met through statutory services. Eligibility requires the condition to be attributable to service and typically applicants will be in receipt of a war pension or relevant award under the armed forces compensation scheme.

Armed Forces Covenant

If the NHS service you are dealing with is unaware of priority treatment, you are actively encouraged to tell them about it and ensure you have told them that you have served. Failing that, you can enlist local health care commissioners, your local authority community covenant lead, or one of the national service organisations, such as the Royal British Legion, to support you.

For more information on the duty of care owed to service personnel, read the armed forces covenant.

Please see the available information leaflets:

Additional Information

Healthwatch Norfolk

Healthwatch Norfolk is the independent voice for patient and service users in the county. They collect public views of health and social care services and make sure they are heard by people in charge.

The people who fund and provide services have to listen to patients, through local Healthwatch organisations. So, whether you have had a good or bad experience, your views can help to make changes to services in Norfolk.

Healthwatch Norfolk’s work covers all areas of health and social care, including GPs, hospitals, dentists, care homes, pharmacies, opticians and more. Join the conversation by sharing your experience or take a look at how you can get involved.

The organisation also provide information about the health and care services available in Norfolk and direct people to someone who can help.

There are lots of ways to share your experience about health and social care services with Healthwatch Norfolk, so everyone has the same chance to be heard. You can leave feedback directly via their feedback centre, contact them directly on 01953 856029 or by emailing enquiries@healthwatchnorfolk.co.uk.

Join the conversation today and get involved to help us make a difference!

Interpreting Services

The East Norfolk Medical Practice has a number of in house staff that are able to provide assistance and support to patients in several different languages including Polish, Portuguese, Lithuanian, Russian as well as a receptionist that has a BSL (British Sign Language) qualification.

Other languages may be available for appointments with enough notice.

Musculoskeletal Outpatient Physiotherapy

Our practice, in partnership with colleagues in East Coast Community Healthcare offer self-referral access to musculoskeletal (MSK) outpatient physiotherapy. This means that you do not need a referral from your GP to access MSK physio.

In order to help start your rehabilitation as soon as possible, we would like to guide you to our referral portal. This is a website where you will be asked to register and provide us with some details about your issue. A Physiotherapist will review your information and then decide on the most appropriate course of treatment for you.

Website address: www.physio.ecch.org

If you would like to know more about what to expect when referring yourself to our online assessment service, please explore the ‘Our services’ tab on our website (address above).

Accessing our service via our website/ referral portal is the quickest and easiest way for you to start your rehabilitation.

If you do not have access to the internet or an email address, we would advise you to call 01493 809977, you will then be transferred to an operator who will carry out an assessment over the phone. Please note, this assessment will not be completed by a Physiotherapist but the details will be passed on.

Please do not call this number if you can access our service via our website/ referral portal as it may delay your rehabilitation.