The following information should be read before submitting a request, you can submit your request using the button further down the page. Please ensure you select the right request for what you need and include all relevant information, discrepancies will cause delays and may lead to a request being rejected. 

Subject Access Request: If you wish to have a copy of your medical notes you may request this. The completed report will be released directly to the patient*, for you as the patient to share with whomever you choose. We will complete a SAR within one month of receiving your request. 

Please be aware that this is stictly a factual copy of your records. It will not contain a new opinion nor will it result in any paperwork which is signed by the GP or the surgery. Depending on what you have requested your report may include your medical history, test results, medications, and details regarding other care received in the surgery.

This is for requesting Notes, Medical Summaries, Immunisations or Test Results. All other requests will not be considered as subject access requests and may be declined or considered as private services. 

 *If you are a solicitor making a request for information please submit your request in writing, we are unable correspond via email for solicitor requests

Private Services Request: All other work is a Private Service Request and is chargeable; the fee payable will vary for each piece of work depending on complexity and cost is subject to change. Private work may require an opinion, a medical or a form completing for example Student Finance or employment verification. All original paperwork must be provided. 

Allow 4-6 weeks for private work requests. 

Please see the private services section and applicable fees table below for more about private work that we are currently able to offer.

We will need to verify your identity in order to protect your personal data.

We have one calendar month in which to respond to your SAR. This time may be extended by up to a further two months, if your request is complex or we have received several individual rights’ requests from you.

We may charge a ’reasonable fee’ for the administrative costs of complying with a request if it is manifestly unfounded or excessive, or if an individual requests further copies of their data.

Once the practice has received all the required information, including necessary consents, your request will take at least 28 days, from the date of pertinent information being gathered. Depending on the nature of your request, it will be processed in house OR externally by Medi2data when ready to action.

Medi2Data schedules differ from our own and we are unable to control or predict Medi2data expected completion times. When it has been sent to Medi2data the practice has no further involvement in the process and all queries should be directed to Medi2data on 01752 292207.

This means you should allow 4-8 weeks for private work requests and we offer no guarantee we can complete in that time. Please ensure all private requests are submitted in plenty of time for any required deadlines or we will be unable to process.

There are several services that we provide to patients additional to the NHS contract.

With increasing pressure on the NHS with regards provision of acute care we have had to make difficult decisions about what the GP’s in the practice can provide. It is important to note that each individual practice will make their own decisions as to what they can provide, leading to some variation between practices. Many practices are reducing or stopping this altogether, but we have tried to prioritise and improve the efficiency of the services we do offer.

We realise that this decision may cause some inconvenience to our patients but hope you can understand that our priority must be to our core NHS duties as a health care provider. If, in the future, the funding and staffing crisis in General Practice is adequately addressed by government, we may find ourselves able to reconsider our position.

if you require private work please choose from one of the options below and complete our online private service request. Work that is being requested on your behalf will come directly to the surgery and you do not need to raise a request. This includes the following, DVLA, PIP, Universal Credit, ESA, Insurance and solicitor requests.

Please note that, with the exception of a Subject Access Request, ALL services that are non-NHS are chargeable.

The following is considered to be a private service and will be processed, following paperwork and payment from the patient. Some companies may meet costs so please inform us in these cases so you are not invoiced. 

• Holiday Cancellation
• Student Finance England
• DSA
• Statement of diagnosis and medication for travel 
• Adoption and fostering
• Medical paperwork

This list contains some examples and is not exhaustive. We reserve the right to refuse private work for any reason

The following is considered to be a private service and will be processed following paperwork and payment from external requestor.

• Insurance
• Solicitor Reports
• DSS / Benefits
• Probation Service
• DVLA

This list contains some examples and is not exhaustive. We reserve the right to refuse private work for any reason

Fees are paid by the person requesting the work, example fees are below, these examples are subject to change and work that is outsourced to Medi2data will be charged according to their fee structure.

The following link will explain why some services are chargeable https://www.bma.org.uk/pay-and-contracts/fees/why-doctors-charge-fees/why-does-my-doctor-charge-fees

Home Office*

Form that must be signed and stamped

£Case by case basis

Army MOD recruitment form* 

Form needs statements of fact regarding conditions and treatments       

£Fee set by MOD

DVLA*

Specific form

£Fee set by DVLA

Student Finance England (SFE) / Disabled Students Allowances (DSA)

Form-factual statements required

£30

Adoption / Fostering Assessments

Medical and form to be completed

£110 pp (Form and medical)                        

Blood transfusion service

Letters for clarification of conditions or questions, often relating to outcomes, tests, diagnosis, treatments or similar queries            

Free

Private Service Request

• Targeted report about conditions
• Targeted request/report for copies of letters or results

As per Medi2data pricing

To whom it may concern letters

Varies but needs to be written freehand and strictly must never contain opinions

£30-40

Water bills (or similar information)

Statement of fact- complex information

£30

Council Tax Reduction

Form to be completed and checked

Free

All costs are examples and subject to change

The following will be rejected

• Vocational Licence paperwork and medicals (e.g. LGV, HGV, PCV, Taxi, Pilot, Diver)
• Exam letters (letters for extensions or exam concessions)
• Identity or Address Verification
• Passport or driving licence certifications
• Shotgun and firearm certificates including renewals
• Fit to Fly (FTF) Certificate / Fitness for travel letter
• Sports Medical Certificates (fitness for clubs, gym membership, sporting events etc)
• Overseas Employment Medicals and paperwork (Such as Seasonal Camps, resort work etc)
• Employment / pre-employment medicals and paperwork or occupational health opinion (e.g., Police, MOD, NMC Validation)
• Application Support / GP Letter of Opinion (such as housing, bus passes, blue badges, academic extensions, prognosis etc)
• Specialist Medical Forms requesting opinions outside of normal GP remit (e.g. occupational health, diving)

This list contains some examples and is not exhaustive. We reserve the right to refuse private work for any reason

We are unable to assess patients for suitability in applying for a Firearms Certificate or renewal.

The GP Partners at Lisson Grove & Woolwell Medical Centre have a concientious objection to the holding of firearms. Dr Ciukiewicz, Dr Rudge and Dr Cranefield are aware of their responsibilities and obligations under GMC guidance on conscientious objection.

Submitting a request is not an acceptance by the Practice that the work can be completed. If we, or medi2data, are unable to complete the Private work request you will be informed as soon as possible.

For information on how medi2data process and store your data please click here

What is covered by the NHS and what is not?

The Government’s contract with GPs covers medical services to NHS patients, including the provision of ongoing medical treatment. In recent years, however, more and more organisations have been involving doctors in a range of non-medical work. Sometimes GPs are asked because of a position of trust within the community and are sought to verify that information provided is true and accurate. Due to the nature of these such requests, they are often outside of the GP contact and are considered private.

Why do I pay when the Dr is being paid anyway?

Many GPs are self-employed and individually must cover the cost of their employees, buildings, heating, lighting, printing etc in the same way any small business must. The NHS covers these costs for NHS work, but for non-NHS work, the fees charged by the GP contribute towards their costs.

Do GPs have to do non-NHS work?

With certain limited exceptions, GPs do not have to carry out this type of work. Most GPs will offer some services to support their patients, but the range will vary from surgery to surgery, and many are reducing or stopping their services completely.

What happens to my request?

Once your request is received an administrator will check that all the information required to process it is available. They may contact you to clarify certain information, or to ensure they have your consent to release information or send your request to Medi2data. You may also be contacted if the work you have requested has been declined.

What happens if you decline my work?

Unfortunately, there will be times when the work you need completing will be refused or rejected. For example, we may decline because of the pressure of urgent frontline clinical services or for legal or moral reasons. If declined, we will be unable to recommend alternative services due to being unable to vouch for the services provided. We will also be unable to enter into any conversations, through any medium, to discuss the rejection as to do so prevents staff, such as receptionists, from answering calls to patients who need urgent care and attention.

Why have I received a message on my mobile phone or an email?

We may need to ensure we have your consent to process the work especially if that work has been requested by someone other than yourself. This is done via our secure AccuRx messaging system your verified mobile number or email. If a reply is required, the message will contain a link for you to click on to send your response. Delays in responding can delay the work as we cannot proceed without your express consent.

How long will my request take?

When all information has been gathered it will then start to be processed and can take up to 28 days from this point but with some more complex work it can take longer. This means that you should allow 4-8 weeks for work to be completed. 

Why does it take so long?

GPs are contracted to provide direct patient care, and as such private work is completed around clinical services when possible. Private services will not be priority if a GP is required to see an acutely unwell patient or make a referral for someone needing a hospital diagnosis.

My request is only a few tick boxes, why can’t you do it sooner?

On average the surgery has over 160 requests being processed at any one time and 40 new requests each week. A GP will have to read through your notes before being able to make a decision about the information that is entered onto any form. This research can take up to 40 minutes for complex forms which is equivalent to four face-to-face appointments with unwell patients who are then unable to be seen. This is why the decision to reject some private work has been, reluctantly, taken.

What if I only need a signature?

To complete even the simplest forms, the doctor may have to check the whole of the medical record. When a doctor signs certificate or completes a report, they can only sign what they know to be true, this is a strict condition of their Medical Registration. Carelessness or inaccuracy can have serious consequences for the doctor with the General Medical Council (the doctors’ regulatory body) or may have further legal ramifications.

How and when do I pay?

You will be contacted by Medi2data or invoiced by the practice after the work is complete, and before it is released.

What if I need a medical?

In rare cases such as adoption, fostering or DVLA, a medical may be required. However as this is nonpriority work, appointments are extremely limited. You will be contacted to attend one of these when they become available.

What if I need the information urgently?

Some information is available to you without a formal request by using our online services or the NHS app. However more complicated requests will need to be processed and cannot be expedited, so always allow plenty of time for your request.

What information can I get from the NHS App?

Allergies and adverse reactions, medicines, immunisations, health conditions, test results, NHS COVID-19 Pass, and vaccination status are all available via the app, however how much can be viewed will vary depending on the permissions set by the surgery. 

What information is available through online services?

The information is very similar to the NHS App but may vary. It is always worth checking if the information you require can be downloaded and used to support your needs.

What if I am requesting information about my child?

Guardians/Parents may submit a Subject Access Request on behalf of their children, but they must be able to prove they have the rights in order to do so. This means that they must attend the surgery with proof of Parental Responsibility before the work can be processed. We may require you to submit your request prior to your visit. We may also request patient consent for release of records belonging to any child with capacity, in all cases the best interests of the child will be considered.

What if I am contacting you on behalf of a family member or other person? 

We are unable to enter into any conversation, through any medium, with someone who is not listed as having the authority to speak on behalf of the patient.

What if I am external agency such as a solicitor or employer requesting medical information about a client or employee?

Requests are often received from interested parties, such as these, but please note that we cannot enter into direct conversations, through any medium, to confirm or deny that the individual is registered with the practice and the consent of the patient is always verified prior to ANY work commencing. If you are requesting information of this sort, it will incur a fee, if we agree to do it, and any request must be made formally.