I am a private GP, so I will declare the interest up front and then try to be useful: the honest answer to "how much does a private GP cost?" is that the appointment is the cheap part and the surprises are in what comes after it. This guide gives the going rates across the UK, what OneMedicine charges, what is and is not included, and when it is worth paying.
What a private GP appointment costs in 2026
Prices across the UK, from the cheapest kind of appointment to the most expensive. The ranges come from published price lists and comparison sites in 2026; the named figures are the providers' own.
| Type of appointment | Typical UK price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Phone or video, 10 to 15 minutes | £25 to £75 | Digital GP services from about £40 to £45; comparison sites put the median near £49 |
| In clinic, 15 minutes | £40 to £110 | App-based walk-in services from about £40; Bupa from about £110 |
| In clinic, 20 to 30 minutes | £65 to £200 | Hospital groups such as Nuffield about £130 face to face, £105 by phone or video |
| Evening, weekend or urgent same-day in clinic | £150 to £300 | Out-of-hours staffing is the reason |
| Home visit | £250 to £500 | Travel and time; evenings cost more |
| Extended health check, 60 minutes with tests | £400 to £930 | Bupa's Be.Reassured is £929; see below |
What OneMedicine charges
Our prices in October 2026, cheapest first. All are with a GP, at 1 High Street, Kings Heath, Birmingham, or by phone or video.
| Appointment | Price | When |
|---|---|---|
| Telephone or video GP appointment | £45 | 8am to 5:30pm, six days a week |
| GP appointment in clinic | £65 | 8am to 6pm |
| Late GP video appointment | £65 | 5:30pm to 10:30pm |
| Sick note with GP appointment | £85 | In clinic; the certificate is included |
| Late GP appointment in clinic | £195 | 6pm to 10:30pm, same day |
| GP home visit | £350 day, £400 evening | Arranged by phone |
| Full Body Health Check, 60 minutes with bloods | £449 | Results video call and a six-month review included |
You see the next available time for each appointment type before you book, and you pay online, so there is nothing to settle at the desk.
GP appointment in clinic, £65
A proper appointment with a GP at our Kings Heath clinic, with free parking at the rear. Same-day and next-day times most days. Phone or video from £45.
See the next available timeWhat is included, and what is not
The appointment fee buys the consultation: your history, an examination where it is needed, a diagnosis or a plan, and the advice that goes with it. These are the things that are commonly charged on top, at OneMedicine and almost everywhere else.
- Medicines. A private prescription is written without an extra fee at OneMedicine (some clinics charge £15 to £25 for the form). You then pay the pharmacy the real cost of the medicine rather than the fixed NHS charge. For a course of antibiotics or a month of a common blood-pressure tablet that is often less than the NHS charge; for newer or branded drugs it can be far more, and the pharmacist will tell you before dispensing.
- Sick notes and letters. A private sick note is included in our £85 sick-note appointment. Referral letters, fitness-to-travel letters and insurance forms are priced per item at most clinics; ask.
- Blood tests, swabs and ECGs. Charged per test. At OneMedicine a full blood count is £40, a thyroid test £55 and an ECG £70, with no blood-draw fee at the Birmingham clinic. The GP will suggest tests, not insist on them, and you can decline.
- Follow-up. A second appointment is a second fee. A result that only needs a message does not need an appointment, and we say so.
- Procedures and injections. Vitamin B12, vitamin D and hay fever injections, minor procedures and vaccines each have their own price, listed before you book.
Why the prices vary so much
Four things set the price. Time: a 10-minute video call costs less to provide than a 30-minute room. Place: a central London consulting room costs more than a Birmingham high street. Hours: evenings, weekends and same-day slots need staff on standby. Brand: the hospital groups and insurer-owned clinics price for the name and the building. None of these change the quality of the medicine, which depends on the GP in the room, so the useful questions are who you will see, how long you will have, and what happens if you need more.
NHS GP or private GP?
NHS GP appointments are free at the point of use and NHS GPs are excellent. The constraint is access: a routine appointment can take two weeks, calls are ten minutes, and continuity is hard to find. A private GP sells you time and speed. The two work together: a private GP can arrange tests and treatment quickly, write to your NHS GP so your record is complete, and tell you when something belongs in the NHS, such as a long-term condition that needs ongoing free care, an emergency, or anything that needs hospital follow-up. What a private GP cannot do is make an NHS referral directly; that letter has to come from your NHS practice, although a private GP's letter recommending it usually speeds things up.
When paying for a GP makes sense
- You want a problem looked at this week, not in a fortnight.
- You need a sick note, a letter or a prescription now.
- You want a result explained properly, with time to ask questions.
- You want a longer appointment for something complicated, or a second opinion.
- You are not registered with an NHS GP, or you are visiting the UK.
- You want tests the NHS does not offer routinely, done quickly, with a doctor's review.
Questions people ask
How much does a private GP cost in the UK?
In 2026 a private GP appointment costs about £25 to £75 by phone or video and £60 to £200 in person, with London and the large hospital groups at the top of the range. At OneMedicine in Birmingham a telephone or video appointment is £45, an in-clinic appointment £65, and an appointment with a sick note £85. Prescriptions, referral letters and blood tests are usually charged separately everywhere.
What is included in a private GP appointment?
The consultation itself: history, examination where needed, a diagnosis or plan, and advice. A private prescription is written at no extra charge at OneMedicine, but you pay the pharmacy the full cost of the medicine. Referral letters, sick notes, blood tests and procedures are priced separately, and a good clinic tells you the price before you agree to them.
Can a private GP prescribe medication?
Yes. A private GP is a fully registered GP and can prescribe any medicine they judge appropriate, with the same restrictions on controlled drugs that apply in the NHS. The prescription is private, so the pharmacy charges the actual cost of the medicine rather than the NHS prescription charge; for many common medicines that is less than the NHS charge, for some it is much more.
Can a private GP refer me to a specialist?
Yes, to a private specialist directly, and the letter is accepted by private hospitals and by insurers that ask for a GP referral. A private GP can also write to your NHS GP recommending an NHS referral, but the NHS referral itself has to come from your NHS practice.
Is an online GP appointment cheaper than seeing one in clinic?
Usually by £20 to £50. At OneMedicine a telephone or video appointment is £45 and the in-clinic appointment £65. Online works well for medication reviews, test results, mental health, skin problems you can photograph and anything that does not need an examination. Chest, abdominal and joint problems, and anything that needs an ECG, swab or injection, need the clinic.
Does private medical insurance cover private GP appointments?
Most policies do not cover GP appointments as standard; they cover specialist treatment after a referral. Some insurers include a digital GP service, and some allow a GP consultation as an add-on. Check the policy wording. Many people pay for the GP appointment themselves and use the insurance for whatever the GP refers them on to.
Can I get a same-day private GP appointment?
Usually, yes. Private GP clinics hold same-day and next-day slots, which is a large part of what you are paying for. At OneMedicine you can see the next available time before you book, and evening appointments in clinic run to 10:30pm at a higher price (£195) because they are staffed outside normal hours.
Can children see a private GP?
Yes, at the same price as an adult appointment, with a parent or guardian present. Call before booking a blood test for anyone under 18 so the clinic can check the test and the setting are suitable.
Is a private GP appointment worth the cost?
It is worth it when time matters: a problem you want seen this week, a sick note or letter you need now, a result you want explained properly, or a condition you want managed in longer appointments than the NHS can offer. It is not a substitute for NHS care for long-term conditions, emergencies or anything that needs hospital follow-up, and a good private GP will say so.
Telephone or video GP appointment, £45
Fifteen minutes with a GP from your phone, 8am to 5:30pm six days a week, with a late video appointment at £65 until 10:30pm. Prescriptions sent to a pharmacy near you.
Book a video appointment
Specialist interest: Cardiovascular Medicine · OneMedicine, CQC registered clinic