A new job, a visa application, a mortgage offer or an insurance policy can all stall over one small piece of paperwork: a medical report signed by a GP. Employers, embassies, lenders and insurers rarely accept a patient’s own word for their health. They want an independent clinical opinion, prepared by a doctor who has examined the person and is willing to put their name to it. At Friends Medical Service, our private GPs prepare exactly this kind of documentation every week for patients across Lurgan, Craigavon, Belfast, Lisburn, Portadown, Banbridge, Armagh and the wider Northern Ireland catchment area, as well as for cross-border patients travelling from the Republic of Ireland.
This guide focuses on the medical reports that sit outside sport and driving: the pre-employment, visa, insurance and mortgage medicals that our GPs are asked for most often. If you need a sports medical certificate or a driving medical, we cover both in dedicated guides linked further down. For everything else, from a new job offer to a life insurance application, read on.
What Counts as a Medical Report
A medical report is a formal written opinion from a doctor, prepared for a third party rather than for ongoing treatment. It typically follows either a face-to-face examination or a review of the patient’s medical history and answers a specific question set by whoever requested it: is this person fit to take up this role, fit to travel, an acceptable risk for this policy or medically able to meet the terms of this loan.
It is worth being clear about what a medical report is not. It is not the same as a fit note (also called a statement of fitness for work), which a GP issues to support a claim for statutory sick pay or a return-to-work plan after illness. Fit notes are an NHS document with their own rules and GOV.UK sets out how they work in more detail. A medical report also differs from a medico-legal report, which is commissioned by a solicitor or insurer as evidence in a personal injury or legal case rather than as a routine administrative requirement. Both are useful documents, but neither replaces the kind of general health report covered here.
Because this work falls outside NHS core services, GPs are not contractually obliged to provide it and a private fee applies. The British Medical Association’s Professional Fees Committee publishes guidance on this non-NHS work, which is why private clinics such as ours exist to handle these requests quickly and without disrupting NHS GP capacity.
The Four Reports Our GPs Prepare Most Often
Our medical reports service covers a broad range of documentation, but four categories account for the majority of requests.
Pre-Employment Medical Reports
A pre-employment medical is a health assessment carried out before someone takes up a new role, confirming they are physically and mentally fit to carry out the duties involved. Certain sectors, including transport, healthcare, construction and the emergency services, request these as standard before a start date is confirmed, often as part of a wider occupational health process managed by the employer. During the appointment, the GP will typically:
- Take a full medical history, including any existing conditions or medications
- Check height, weight, blood pressure and general physical fitness
- Assess vision and hearing where the role requires it
- Complete any employer-specific form alongside the written report
Some employers supply their own paperwork; others simply ask for a general letter confirming fitness for work. Either way, bringing the employer’s specification with you speeds up the appointment considerably.
Visa and Immigration Medical Reports
Visa and immigration applications sometimes require a medical report confirming general health and fitness, particularly for work visas, long-term residency applications or specific overseas postings. Our GPs can carry out this assessment and complete the relevant documentation for the destination country or governing body.
It is important to separate this from the tuberculosis (TB) screening that some UK visa applicants must arrange separately. If someone has been resident in a country on the Home Office list for six months or more before applying for a UK visa lasting longer than six months, they need a certificate from a Home Office approved clinic, not a general medical report. GOV.UK maintains the current list of countries and approved clinics for this requirement. It is worth checking this before booking since it is a separate process from the medical report described in this guide.
Insurance Medical Reports
Life insurance, income protection, critical illness cover and some private medical insurance policies often ask for a medical examination or report before a policy is issued, particularly where an applicant has declared a pre-existing condition or is applying for a higher level of cover. Insurers use this to confirm the accuracy of information already provided and to assess risk fairly. A typical insurance medical report will cover:
- Blood pressure and pulse
- Height, weight and body mass index
- A review of relevant blood tests where requested by the insurer
- Discussion of any declared medical history or family history
Patients who want a general check on their current health before applying for cover, rather than an insurer-specific form, may also find our blood testing and health checks service useful as preparation.
Mortgage Medical Reports
Some mortgage lenders, particularly where an applicant is arranging life insurance or a decreasing term policy alongside the mortgage, request a medical report to confirm health status before finalising the loan. This is separate from the mortgage application itself and is usually a condition set by the linked insurance provider rather than the lender directly. As with insurance medicals, the report covers overall health, blood pressure and any declared conditions that could affect underwriting.
Sports and Driving Medicals: A Related but Separate Service
Sports and driving medical reports follow a similar process at Friends Medical Service, but they have their own specific requirements and forms. If you need proof of fitness to compete in boxing, motor sports, wrestling or another regulated sporting activity, our full guide to sports medical certificates and reports explains what to expect. If you need a driving medical for the DVA, a taxi licence, an HGV licence or an insurance requirement, our driving medical report guide covers the DLM1 form and everything else involved. Both are booked through the same medical reports service page as the reports described above.
What Happens During Your Appointment
Every medical report starts with the same basic structure, whatever the reason behind it.
- Book a GP appointment. Choose the medical reports service and let us know which type of report you need when you enquire, so the right form and appointment length can be arranged.
- Bring your paperwork. Any form supplied by the employer, insurer, lender or embassy should come with you, along with photo ID and a list of current medications.
- Attend a 20-minute appointment. Most medical reports involve a short physical examination alongside a discussion of relevant medical history.
- The GP completes the assessment. This includes any measurements, tests or checks the requesting organisation has specified.
- The report is written and issued. Turnaround is usually prompt and reports are provided in the format required by the organisation that asked for them.
Because most medical reports require a physical examination, they need to be booked as an in-person appointment rather than a video consultation. Our GP appointment service explains when a video consultation is appropriate for other concerns, but for medical reports, a face-to-face visit at the Lurgan clinic is the right route.
How Much Does a Medical Report Cost
Pricing at Friends Medical Service is straightforward across the medical reports range:
| Report type | Price | Appointment length |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-employment, visa, insurance or mortgage medical | From £100 | 20 minutes |
| Sports medical certificate | From £100 | 20 minutes |
| Driving medical report | From £100 | 20 minutes |
The final cost can vary depending on the complexity of the form, whether additional tests are needed and how much detail the requesting organisation has asked for. We will always confirm the exact fee before your appointment is booked.
Where to Book Your Medical Report in Northern Ireland
Medical reports, along with the rest of our GP services, are provided at our main clinic in Lurgan, which serves patients across the wider Craigavon, Belfast, Lisburn, Portadown, Banbridge and Armagh area. Our Limavady and L/Derry clinics are dedicated to no-scalpel vasectomy appointments only, so medical report bookings should always be made through the Lurgan site. Patients travelling from the Republic of Ireland are very welcome. Our cross-border patients page has more detail on how this works in practice.
If you already see one of our GPs for other care, such as Dr Abdel Nasir Nour, who also leads our blood testing and health checks service, they can prepare your medical report as part of the same relationship, drawing on your existing records where relevant. New patients are equally welcome and do not need to be registered with us beforehand. Patients who need reports regularly, such as those in occupational health-heavy industries, may also want to look at our GP subscription plans for ongoing GP access.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a fitness to work report?
A fitness to work report is a written opinion from a GP confirming whether someone is medically able to carry out the duties of a specific role. It is commonly requested for pre-employment checks, return-to-work situations after illness or injury and by employers who need reassurance before someone starts physically demanding work.
What is a fitness to travel certificate?
A fitness to travel certificate confirms that a patient is medically fit to undertake a journey, whether by air, sea or land. It is often requested by airlines for pregnant travellers, patients recovering from surgery or those with a condition that could be affected by travel, as well as by tour operators or cruise lines with their own health declarations.
What is a pre-employment medical?
A pre-employment medical is a health assessment carried out before a person takes up a new role, designed to confirm they are physically and mentally fit to perform the duties of the position. Industries including transport, healthcare and construction commonly require these before employment begins. The specific checks involved depend on the employer’s own form.
Is a medical report the same as a fit note?
No. A fit note (also called a statement of fitness for work) is an NHS document used to support sick pay claims or a return-to-work plan during a period of illness. A medical report is a private document prepared for a third party such as an employer, insurer, lender or embassy and usually involves a dedicated examination rather than an assessment tied to an existing episode of illness.
How long does a medical report take to arrange?
Most medical reports can be booked within a few days and the appointment itself typically takes around 20 minutes. The written report is usually available shortly after your appointment, though timing can depend on whether the requesting organisation needs additional information or a specific form completed.
Can I request a medical report without being a registered patient?
Yes. Friends Medical Service accepts medical report requests from new patients as well as those already under our care. You do not need to transfer your NHS registration or have an existing relationship with the clinic to book an appointment.
Do I need a face-to-face appointment or can this be done by video?
Medical reports almost always require a face-to-face appointment, since they involve a physical examination such as checking blood pressure, height, weight or vision. Video consultations are available for many other GP concerns, but they are not suitable where a hands-on assessment is part of the requesting organisation’s requirements.
What if my visa requires a TB test?
Some UK visa categories require a tuberculosis screening certificate from a Home Office approved clinic, which is separate from a general medical report. GOV.UK publishes the current list of countries this applies to and the approved clinics that can carry out the test, so it is worth checking this in advance of your visa application.
Book Your Medical Report With Friends Medical Service
Whether you need a pre-employment medical for a new job, a health report for a visa application, an insurance medical or documentation to support a mortgage, our private GPs can arrange a prompt appointment at our Lurgan clinic. Visit our medical reports service page to see the full range of reports we prepare or get in touch with our team if you are not sure which type of report you need. We will confirm the right form, the appointment length and the fee before you book, so there are no surprises on the day.
