The doctors are entitled to charge for some items of work which are not part of the NHS.

Patients are often asked by a third party organisation to obtain various letters or certificates from their GP.

In order to provide good NHS funded care, the doctors at Tower House limit the amount of private work they do.

Please view our policy which explains what we can and cannot provide to you, and the fees which are payable for services which are not part of the NHS.

We do not provide the following at all – see summary.

Letters of support for Benefits, Local Authorities, and other similar Organisations/ Agencies

The job of GPs is to provide medical care to their patients and they are not in a position to administer, nor to police, the benefits system. It is not appropriate for GPs to be asked for letters of support or letters to confirm care needs. GPs are neither contracted nor resourced by the NHS to provide this service and do not have the capacity to do so. Time taken up with paperwork is time taken away from direct patient care.

The Local Medical Committee for Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire has produced this leaflet for patients to further explain this policy.