Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure NHS GP surgeries process private medical paperwork in a timely manner; and whether his Department plans to issue updated guidance to prevent administrative delays that could adversely affect patient outcomes.

We are working across Government to cut red tape and improve ways of working, including work to improve the patient experience, such as streamlining or removing the need to request unnecessary medical evidence and paperwork where possible.

Some medical paperwork is not included within the GP Contract and is therefore outside of core National Health Service work. It may attract charges in the same way some medical evidence letters, certificates, and reports are chargeable.

There are currently no plans to develop further guidance around handling private medical requests. The British Medical Association provides guidance to general practitioners on its website on fees for medical evidence, and on general practice responsibility in responding to private health care.