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4 - Family planning

Local authority family planning clinics
(England & Wales)

Since 1974 family planning clinics have been run by local authorities but paid for under the 'collaborative arrangements' initially by health authorities and since April 2002 by primary care trusts. Doctors can be contracted to provide these services either on a salaried basis or on a sessional basis. A full description of the 'collaborative arrangements' is contained in Fees guidance schedule 2.

Important note:
The Doctors and Dentists Review Body (DDRB) has not set collaborative arrangement fees for 2006/07 or 2007/08 and seems unlikely to do so in future, but has advised doctors to set their own fees for work performed under the collaborative arrangements. The BMA advises individual doctors and GP practices that they should establish their own fees for this work. The BMA also advises doctors that it is their individual decision whether or not to continue carrying out work under the collaborative arrangements based on the rates published for 2005/06 and included in this schedule. It is also the decision of individual doctors whether to use the 2005/06 fee rates as a reference point and then apply an annual increase based on their own rate. Further information is given in the BMA guidance on the 'collaborative arrangements' contained in Fees guidance schedule 2.

Effective date: 1 April 2005
Source: PC(MD) 2/05, (PCS (DD) 2005/3 in Scotland)
Allowances: Mileage rates - contact askBMA for details.

Notes:
1. These fees do not apply in Northern Ireland as there are no local authority family planning clinics.
2. Unless otherwise indicated a 'full session' normally means a session of one and a half to two and a half hours including allowance for travelling time, and a 'short session' means a session not normally exceeding one hour.

1. Family planning sessions
Including sessions concerned with birth control, IUD insertions, sub-fertility and research, and interviewing doctors at vasectomy sessions:

a) Consultant or specialist work
Full session £115.56
Short session £74.86

b) Other medical work
Full session £73.69
Short session £47.47

2. Family planning sessions
For patients with marital difficulties or instructing other doctors in family planning:

Full session £90.63
Short session £74.38

3. Vasectomy session

a) Consultant or specialist work
Full session £191.27

b) Other medical work
Full session £117.48

4. Domiciliary visits for family planning purposes

a) Per visit £24.57
b) Per unproductive visit £9.22