Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what, if any, is their policy in respect of GPs who use their NHS surgeries after hours or at lunchtimes for private consultations, while employed by a private provider.

Many general practitioners (GPs) undertake some non-National Health Service work - such as the completion of medical forms for which they charge patients and this is accepted as being part of normal GP practice. GPs are unable to charge registered patients for appointments, and any private work should not impact on their contractual obligation to provide access to services within the core hours of 8am – 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays, to meet the reasonable needs of their patients.

The National Health Service (General Medical Services – Premises Costs) Directions 2013, provide, that where a third party rents part of the surgery and pays towards the running costs of the premises, this amount must be abated from the amount reimbursed by NHS England. A copy of the Directions is attached.