Professional fees committee overview

The PFC (professional fees committee) consults and negotiates fees on behalf of doctors on a range of additional work that falls outside their NHS contracts.

Location: UK
Audience: All doctors
Updated: Friday 13 December 2024
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​The PFC (professional fees committee) represents the BMA on all matters relating to non-NHS, non-contractual medical service work, such as local and central government work, medico-legal work, insurance work and a wide range of reports, examinations and certificates for patients or third parties.

This includes consulting with Government and other organisations on work implications for the doctor involved and, where possible, negotiating fees for this.

 

Our priorities

Fees calculator

We have developed a fee tool. It will inform how you prepare professional reports outside your normal NHS contract: the effects of overheads, tax, NI and NHS Pension contributions. With this information, you will be able to set your own fees more accurately. Find out more with our fees calculator.

Firearms licensing

To work with GPC to review the existing process for firearms licensing and the involvement of GPs in this.

DVLA Fees and Medicals

The DVLA has consulted on healthcare professionals being able to complete DVLA medical questionnaires as well as doctors. The fees calculator will inform doctors of their true value and cost of production.

Fees

PFC are taking stock of fees in order to prioritise which ones need to be urgently revisited. This includes the devolved nations’ unfairest and most pressing fees.

Death certification

Medical examiners, particularly those in remote parts of England and Wales, should be equally represented by those practising in both primary and secondary care environments. PFC believe there should be no disparity in their pay as all medical examiners rely on the same educational foundation, medical background, and carry the same legal and professional responsibilities while performing their duties.

Pathology fees and the Ministry of Justice

Autopsies are increasingly complex and taking longer time to carry out. This should be reflected in pathologists fees but they have remained static for several years which has resulted in a shortage of pathologists involved in autopsy work.

DVLA

PFC continues to renegotiate DVLA’s outdated fees.        

Continue to engage with the DWP on issues relevant to fees.

  • To discuss a fee for reports completed by other healthcare professionals but signed by a GP
  • To seek clarity about status of work delegated by GPs
  • To continue to participate in fit note reform consultations

CPS

To update the professional witness fees.

Collaborative fees

While not part of the GMS contract, GPs are undertaking work for outdated fees. PFC are exploring an uplift in fees to bring them in line with current levels. PFC also believe in modernising collaborative fees in respect of work done by doctors on behalf of local authorities.

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Greater consistency in the fee structure for Non Legal Members’ (NLMs) fees and the development of a standard sitting fee (as well as the use of enhanced fee rates for roles with demonstrable recruitment difficulties) are needed.

Association of British Insurers (ABI)

To continue to engage in relevant consultations with the ABI.

 

Our people

Chair: Dr Rob Barnett

 

 

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Our meetings

The committee meets three times a year to discuss the latest issues affecting the profession. These meetings are only open to committee members.

Meeting dates 2024-25:

  • Thursday 28 November 2024, hybrid (in-person and online via Microsoft Teams)
  • Thursday 13 Feb 2025, virtual
  • Thursday 15 May 2025, hybrid

All meetings take place either virtually or at:

BMA House
Tavistock Square
London
WC1H 9JP

 

How to join

There are many advantages to becoming involved in our committees. You can actively influence BMA policy-making and negotiations, represent your colleagues' voices and develop your leadership skills. 

Each committee has a few routes to becoming an elected member. In the case of PFC, these are: 

Regional elections
  • Seats/term - every year, elections for one seat on PFC take place for a one-session term. 
  • Timeline - elections take place in June or July.
  • Eligibility - all doctors who are BMA members and meet the specified criteria for each seat are eligible to stand and vote in these elections. The criteria will be specified in the section below when elections are open.  
ARM elections
  • Seats/term - every year, elections for three seats on PFC take place for a one-session term.
  • Timeline - the nomination period opens a month before ARM, and voting closes a few days after ARM.
  • Eligibility - all BMA members can stand for election but only ARM delegates can vote.

The election section below is kept up to date with details about any running elections, so make sure you keep checking it throughout the year.  

 

Elections

Election to PFC is closed.

 

Get in touch

If you have any questions or would like to find out more about the work of the PFC, email [email protected].

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