NHS services are provided free of charge to our patients under our General Medical Services contract and the NHS covers the cost of providing these services. However, some additional services are not available under the NHS and are not paid for by NHS funding. GPs are self-employed and have to cover the costs of running the GP practice just like any other business. For example, they need to pay staff, heating and lighting costs and also invest in developing the services and facilities provided.  Time spent by GPs completing private reports and undertaking private medical examinations are generally done outside of normal contracted working hours as an extra commitment to a GPs workload. The fees charged for non-NHS services go towards covering the costs of running and investing in our practice to provide the wide range of services patients require.