PRIVATE PRACTICE FOR GMS AND PMS CONTRACTORS
There are few exceptions where a fee may be charged to an NHS registered patient (see What can I charge for?)
Although GMS and PMS contracts do not prevent contractors from accepting private patients, those patients cannot also be registered with the NHS practice under the same contract.
New regulations introduced in October 2019 prohibit GP practices from offering or advertising private services during NHS working hours or on NHS-funded property if those services fall within primary medical services.
This means practices providing NHS commissioned services cannot charge for or host the same services during NHS hours and on their premises.
However, this does not prevent a practice from charging non-registered patients for non-primary medical services (services not commissioned by the NHS) or charging their own patients under the limited conditions mentioned earlier.
Where the Contractor proposes to provide private services in addition to primary medical services, to persons other than its patients the provision must take place: (a) outside of the hours the Contractor has agreed to provide primary medical services; and (b) on no part of any practice premises in respect of which the Board makes any payments pursuant to the National Health Service (General Medical Services -Premises Costs) Directions 2013 save where the private services are those specified in clause 19.1.2B
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