Terms & Conditions
PLEASE READ THESE TERMS CAREFULLY BEFORE USING THE GP SERVICE
These terms and conditions ("Terms") form a legally binding agreement between you and Novamedica Limited, the operator of The GP Service. By registering for an account, booking a consultation, or using our website, mobile applications or associated services (together, the "Platform"), you confirm that you have read, understood and agreed to these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not use the Platform.
These Terms should be read alongside our Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy, Acceptable Use Policy and Complaints Policy, each of which forms part of your agreement with us.
NOT FOR EMERGENCIES
The GP Service must not be used in an emergency.
If you, or someone you are with, is experiencing a medical emergency — including but not limited to difficulty breathing, severe bleeding, severe chest pain, a severe allergic reaction, loss of consciousness, suspected heart attack or stroke, serious injury, or a mental health crisis — call 999 immediately.
For urgent but non-life-threatening advice, call NHS 111.
1. ABOUT US AND HOW TO CONTACT US
1.1 "The GP Service", "GPS", "we", "us" and "our" refer to Novamedica Limited, a company registered in England and Wales under company number 16437130, with registered office at The Dock, 75 Exploration Drive, Leicester, LE4 5NU. "The GP Service" is a trading name of Novamedica Limited.
1.2 We are registered with the Information Commissioner's Office under registration number ZB938258.
1.3 You can contact us:
By email: support@thegpservice.co.uk
By phone: 024 7745 0727
In writing to our registered office above. We will contact you using the email address or mobile phone number on your account.
2. WHAT THE GP SERVICE IS (AND IS NOT)
2.1 A healthcare technology platform. Novamedica Limited operates the Platform. The GP Service connects patients with independent clinicians who are registered with their UK professional regulator and who deliver consultations remotely.
2.2 Clinical services are delivered by independent clinicians. Clinical services on the Platform — including consultations, diagnoses, clinical advice, prescriptions, fit notes and referrals — are delivered by independent clinicians exercising their own professional judgement, subject to the duties owed to their regulator. Novamedica Limited operates the Platform and does not itself provide these clinical services.
2.3 What you can do on the Platform. You can use the Platform to:
(a) register and manage a patient account;
(b) book a remote consultation with an independent clinician (by video or telephone);
(c) receive clinical advice and, where the clinician considers it clinically appropriate, a prescription, fit note or referral letter;
(d) arrange (at your option) dispensing and delivery of prescriptions through our pharmacy partner or any legal UK pharmacy of your choice; and
(e) access your consultation history, follow-up bookings and repeat prescription arrangements.
2.4 How we check clinicians. Clinicians on the Platform are sourced through approved clinical staffing suppliers who are contractually required to carry out thorough due diligence before any clinician is made available to us. We satisfy ourselves that these due diligence requirements have been met before a clinician is permitted to accept consultations through the Platform, and we carry out periodic checks of registration status. We do not endorse any individual clinician, and we do not guarantee the outcome of any consultation.
2.5 Where our services are available. The Platform is intended for use by individuals located in the United Kingdom. We do not represent that the Platform is appropriate for use outside the UK.
2.6 What the Platform is not suitable for. The Platform is designed for non-urgent remote consultations. It is not suitable for and must not be used as a substitute for:
(a) emergency or urgent care (use 999 or NHS 111);
(b) a patient's registered NHS GP for complex or ongoing care;
(c) conditions that require physical examination, investigation or in-person procedures;
(d) mental health crisis services or ongoing specialist psychiatric care;
(e) long-term management of complex chronic conditions.
If a clinician determines that your needs cannot safely be met through a remote consultation, they will advise you to seek care elsewhere and may decline to proceed.
3. WHO CAN USE THE PLATFORM
3.1 You may only register an account and use the Platform if you:
(a) are aged 18 or over — accounts and self-booking are for adults aged 18 and over;
(b) are located in the United Kingdom at the time of your consultation — both UK residents and visitors to the UK may use the service;
(c) have legal capacity to enter into a binding contract; and
(d) agree to these Terms. Children and young people: patients aged 13–17 may receive consultations where the booking is made by a parent or legal guardian (aged 18 or over) through the guardian's own account, with the guardian's consent; clinicians will involve the parent or guardian as clinically appropriate and will assess a young person's own capacity to consent (Gillick competence) where relevant. Patients under 13 cannot currently be treated through the Platform; where dedicated paediatric services are introduced, specific consent and safeguarding requirements will apply. Clinicians follow UK safeguarding obligations and may involve appropriate services where there are concerns about a child's welfare.
3.2 Accounts are personal. You must not share your account or allow anyone else to use it. You must register only one account for yourself.
4. YOUR ACCOUNT
4.1 Accurate information. You must provide accurate, complete and up-to-date information when registering — including your full name, date of birth, home address, email, mobile number and details of your registered NHS GP (if you have one). You must keep this information current.
4.2 Identity verification. We may require you to verify your identity before your first consultation, including by providing photo identification (passport or driving licence) or through electronic verification. We may suspend or decline service if we are unable to verify your identity to our reasonable satisfaction.
4.3 Account security. Keep your login details confidential. Notify us immediately if you suspect unauthorised access. We are not liable for loss arising from your failure to keep account details secure.
4.4 Your medical information. You must provide full, accurate and honest information about your medical history, current symptoms, medications, allergies and relevant lifestyle factors — at registration, before each consultation, and when asked by a clinician. If you do not, clinicians may not be able to provide safe care, and neither we nor the clinician will be responsible for outcomes that result from inaccurate or incomplete information you have provided.
5. BOOKING AND ATTENDING CONSULTATIONS
5.1 Booking. You can book a consultation through the Platform subject to clinician availability. Consultations are delivered by video or telephone. Booking confirmation is sent by email and/or WhatsApp.
5.2 Clinician allocation. We may offer you a choice of clinician where available. Otherwise, we will match you with an appropriate available clinician. We do not guarantee the availability of any particular clinician.
5.3 Consultation length. A standard consultation is scheduled for approximately 10 minutes. The clinician may, at their discretion, extend or conclude the consultation based on clinical need.
5.4 Your responsibilities during a consultation. You are responsible for:
(a) having a suitable internet connection or telephone line;
(b) attending at the booked time;
(c) being in a private, safe and quiet location;
(d) having relevant information to hand (medications, test results, photographs as requested);
(e) being able to verify your identity if asked.
5.5 Focus of the consultation. Each consultation is usually focused on one presenting clinical issue. If you wish to discuss multiple unrelated issues, please book additional consultations. Clinicians may, at their discretion, address more than one issue within a consultation if clinical need and available time allow, or may ask you to book a follow-up.
5.6 Late arrival. If you are more than 5 minutes late, the clinician may be unable to complete your consultation within the remaining time, and you may be asked to rebook. No refund will be given for late arrival due to reasons within your control.
5.7 Technical disruption. If your consultation is interrupted by a technical issue on our side or the clinician's side, we will reconnect you or rebook you at no further charge. If the interruption is caused by your device, connection or environment, no refund will be given.
5.8 Clinician's right to end a consultation. A clinician may end, pause or decline to continue a consultation at any time — without refund — if:
(a) they consider that proceeding would be clinically unsafe or inappropriate;
(b) they suspect the consultation is being used to obtain clinically inappropriate prescriptions or fit notes;
(c) you are not the person registered on the account, or cannot verify your identity;
(d) you are intoxicated, under the influence of substances, or otherwise unfit to consult safely;
(e) your behaviour towards the clinician or our staff is abusive, threatening or inappropriate; or
(f) your environment is not safe or private.
5.9 Recording. We do not routinely record consultations. You must not record any consultation without the clinician's explicit consent.
6. CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS
6.1 Cooling-off waiver. Under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, you normally have a 14-day right to cancel a services contract. By booking a consultation you expressly request that we begin performance immediately, and you acknowledge that you will lose your statutory right to cancel once the consultation service has been fully performed. You retain the cancellation rights set out in the rest of this clause 6.
6.2 Cancellation by you.
(a) You may cancel a consultation up to 24 hours before the scheduled start time for a full refund.
(b) Cancellations less than 24 hours before the scheduled start time are not refundable and the full consultation fee is payable.
(c) If you do not attend ("no-show"), you will be charged the full consultation fee.
6.3 Cancellation by us or by the clinician. If we or the clinician cancel or reschedule your consultation, we will notify you as soon as possible and offer you either a full refund or a rebooking at your preference.
6.4 Refund mechanism. Refunds are made to the payment method used for booking, normally within 5–10 business days.
6.5 No refund for clinical outcomes. The consultation fee pays for the clinician's professional time, assessment and judgement — not for any specific clinical outcome. We will not refund consultation fees on the basis that:
(a) the clinician did not issue a prescription, fit note or referral;
(b) the clinician declined to treat you remotely and advised you to seek care elsewhere;
(c) you disagree with the clinician's clinical opinion;
(d) a pharmacy declined to dispense a private prescription; or
(e) an employer or third party declined to accept a fit note.
If you are unhappy with the clinical care you received, please use our Complaints Policy or, for clinical concerns, raise the matter directly with the clinician's professional regulator
6.6 Chargebacks. If you dispute a properly incurred charge through your payment provider and we successfully defend the dispute, we reserve the right to recover reasonable administration and legal costs.
7. FEES
7.1 Current fees. Fees are displayed on the Platform at the time of booking and include VAT where applicable.
(a) Consultation: prices start from £49. Consultation fees are set by the clinician within a range of £49 to £79.
(b) Prescription administration fee: £19.99 per prescription issued. The same £19.99 administration fee applies where a referral letter is issued.
(c) Repeat prescription fee: £19.99 per repeat issue.
(d) Fit note (or fit note extension): £19.99 per note.
(e) Medication costs and delivery charges: the cost of any medication prescribed and associated delivery charges are set by our pharmacy partner and will be advised to you at the point of order, before you confirm any purchase.
7.2 How fees are set. Consultation fees are set by the independent clinician within a range determined by the Platform. Platform administrative fees (prescription administration, repeat prescription, fit note issuance) are set by the Platform. Medication and delivery charges are set by our pharmacy partner or, where you choose a different pharmacy, by that pharmacy.
7.3 Changes to fees. Fees may change from time to time. Fee changes do not affect consultations already booked and paid for.
7.4 Pre-authorisation. We may pre-authorise your payment card at booking. Final payment is taken when the consultation is delivered (or at the point of no-show / late cancellation under clause 6.2).
8. PRESCRIPTIONS
8.1 Clinical judgement. Whether a prescription is issued, and for which medication and quantity, is solely the clinician's professional decision. There is no guarantee you will receive a prescription.
8.2 Medications that will not be prescribed via the Platform. Clinicians on the Platform will not prescribe:
(a) controlled drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 — including opioids, benzodiazepines and ADHD stimulant medications — save that testosterone replacement therapy and other Schedule 4 Part 2 hormone treatments may be prescribed where clinically appropriate following suitable assessment and blood testing;
(b) medications requiring specialist prescribing, monitoring or shared-care arrangements;
(c) injectable medications, other than for specific clinical pathways supported by the Platform;
(d) any medication where remote assessment is, in the clinician's judgement, clinically inappropriate.
8.3 Repeat prescription arrangements.
(a) Where a clinician considers it clinically appropriate, you may be offered a repeat prescription arrangement for certain suitable conditions as determined by the clinician.
(b) Repeat prescription arrangements are limited to a maximum of 3 months before a fresh consultation is required. This is a clinical safety measure to ensure ongoing review.
(c) A clinician may review, change or end a repeat arrangement at any time.
(d) A repeat prescription fee (see clause 7.1) applies to each repeat issue.
8.4 Dispensing and delivery. Prescriptions issued through the Platform are private prescriptions unless otherwise stated. You may choose to have your prescription dispensed by any UK-registered pharmacy of your choice. Where we facilitate an optional dispensing and delivery service through a pharmacy partner, that pharmacy partner is solely responsible for dispensing in accordance with its regulatory obligations and for the delivery service it offers. Medication costs, delivery options and charges will be confirmed to you before you place any order. Delivery timescales are estimates and cannot be guaranteed. If you experience any issue with a delivery, please contact us and we will do our best to assist.
8.5 Your responsibilities with prescribed medication. You must read all information supplied with your medication, follow clinician and dispensing pharmacy instructions, and seek advice from a clinician, pharmacist or your GP if you have questions or experience adverse effects. Seek emergency medical help immediately for serious adverse reactions.
9. FIT NOTES
9.1 A clinician may issue a fit note ("statement of fitness for work") where they consider it clinically appropriate.
9.2 Fit note duration is determined by the clinician based on your clinical presentation. Extensions are at the clinician's discretion and may require a further consultation.
9.3 Maximum cumulative extension. Fit note extensions issued through the Platform are limited to a cumulative maximum of 6 months from the original fit note date. Beyond this, you must arrange an in-person review with your registered GP or an appropriate specialist.
9.4 Acceptance by third parties. Fit notes issued by clinicians on the Platform are valid statements of fitness for work under UK law. Acceptance by employers, insurers or other third parties is outside our control, and we are not responsible if a third party declines to accept a fit note.
10. REFERRALS
10.1 A clinician may issue a referral letter where they consider it clinically appropriate. Referrals issued through the Platform are private referrals unless otherwise agreed. Acceptance by the receiving provider, and any costs of onward care, are outside our control.
11. YOUR NHS GP
11.1 The GP Service is designed for private remote consultations and does not replace your NHS GP for ongoing or complex care. We strongly encourage all patients to remain registered with an NHS GP to support continuity of care. If you are not currently registered with an NHS GP, we recommend that you do so. Patients are also encouraged and advised to share a summary of their consultation notes with their local GP, to ensure their NHS record remains up to date.
12. YOUR PATIENT RECORD
12.1 We maintain an electronic record of your consultations, prescriptions, fit notes, referrals and related clinical correspondence (your "Patient Record") in accordance with UK law on the retention of medical records.
12.2 The Patient Record supports your ongoing care, enables follow-up, meets clinical governance obligations, and — in anonymised form — may be used to improve our services.
12.3 Our handling of your personal and health data is set out in our Privacy Policy.
13. OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO YOU
13.1 Nothing in these Terms limits or excludes our liability for:
(a) death or personal injury caused by our negligence;
(b) fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation;
(c) breach of your statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015; or
(d) any other liability that cannot be excluded or limited under UK law.
13.2 Platform responsibility. We are responsible for providing the Platform with reasonable care and skill — this includes the technology, booking systems, payment processing, clinician verification as described in clause 2.4, and customer support. If we fail to provide the Platform with reasonable care and skill, we will put it right, which may include a refund or credit where appropriate.
13.3 Clinical responsibility sits with the clinician. Clinical decisions made during your consultation — including diagnosis, treatment advice, prescribing, and issuing fit notes and referrals — are made solely by the treating clinician in the exercise of their independent professional judgement. Each clinician is accountable for those decisions to their own professional regulator and carries their own professional indemnity insurance.
13.4 What we do not warrant. We do not guarantee:
(a) that any particular clinician will be available;
(b) that a consultation will result in any particular clinical outcome (including any prescription, fit note or referral);
(c) that the Platform will be uninterrupted, error-free or entirely secure; or
(d) acceptance of fit notes or referrals by any third party.
13.5 Foreseeable loss only. Subject to clause 13.1, our liability is limited to loss or damage that is a reasonably foreseeable consequence of our breach of these Terms. We are not liable for losses that were not reasonably foreseeable at the time you entered into these Terms.
13.6 Business use. The Platform is for personal, non-commercial use. We have no liability for any loss of profit, loss of business, business interruption or loss of opportunity.
13.7 Circumstances outside our control. We are not liable for delays or failures caused by events outside our reasonable control, including internet outages, power failures, pandemics, or acts of government.
14. USING THE PLATFORM PROPERLY
14.1 You must use the Platform lawfully and in accordance with our Acceptable Use Policy.
14.2 You must not:
(a) use the Platform to attempt to obtain clinically inappropriate prescriptions or provide misleading clinical information for that purpose;
(b) impersonate another person or allow anyone else to use your account;
(c) attempt to interfere with, compromise or gain unauthorised access to the Platform;
(d) upload content that is unlawful, defamatory, offensive or infringes third-party rights;
(e) behave abusively, threateningly, aggressively or discriminatorily towards clinicians, our staff or other users — in writing, by voice, or on video;
(f) use the Platform, or any data, content or services accessed through it, for text or data mining, scraping, crawling, or to develop, train, fine-tune or validate any artificial intelligence system or model, without our prior written consent.
14.3 Consequences of breach.
(a) We may issue a warning, suspend your account, terminate your access immediately, or refer the matter to regulators or law enforcement where appropriate.
(b) For material or repeat breaches — and in all cases involving abusive, threatening or discriminatory behaviour towards a clinician or our staff — we may terminate your account without notice and without refund, and we may prevent you from registering further accounts.
(c) Nothing in these Terms limits our right to pursue civil or criminal remedies.
15. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
15.1 All intellectual property rights in the Platform, including text, graphics, logos, software and design, are owned by or licensed to us. You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to use the Platform for your personal, non-commercial use in accordance with these Terms.
15.2 You must not copy, reproduce, adapt, distribute or commercially exploit any part of the Platform without our prior written consent.
16. COMPLAINTS
16.1 If you have a complaint, please refer to our Complaints Policy for how to raise it.
16.2 Platform complaints. Complaints about the Platform (booking, fees, delivery, customer service, technology) are handled by us.
16.3 Clinical complaints. Complaints about a clinician's clinical decisions, professional conduct or fitness to practise may be raised directly with the clinician's professional regulator (e.g. GMC, GPhC, NMC, HCPC). We can help you identify the appropriate regulator on request.
16.4 Alternative Dispute Resolution. If we are unable to resolve your complaint to your satisfaction, we will inform you, on a durable medium, of an appropriate alternative dispute resolution provider and whether or not we are prepared to use that provider to resolve the dispute.
17. CHANGES TO THESE TERMS AND THE PLATFORM
17.1 We may update these Terms from time to time to reflect changes in law, regulation, our services or our business. We will notify you of material changes by email or a Platform notice, and updated Terms will apply from the stated date.
17.2 Continued use of the Platform after an update indicates acceptance. If you do not accept the updated Terms, you may cancel your account.
17.3 We may update, modify, suspend or discontinue features of the Platform. We will give reasonable notice for material changes.
18. GENERAL
18.1 Our assignment. We may transfer our rights and obligations under these Terms to another company. We will notify you in writing, and your rights will not be affected.
18.2 Your assignment. You may not transfer your rights or obligations under these Terms.
18.3 Third-party rights. No one other than you and us has rights to enforce these Terms, except that individual clinicians may enforce provisions that expressly protect them.
18.4 Severability. If any provision is unlawful or unenforceable, the remaining provisions continue in full force.
18.5 Waiver. Delay or failure to enforce any provision does not waive our right to enforce it later.
18.6 Governing law. These Terms, and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them, are governed by English law. You and we agree to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts, except that if you are a consumer resident in Scotland or Northern Ireland you may also bring proceedings in your local courts.
18.7 Your statutory rights. Nothing in these Terms affects your statutory rights as a consumer under UK law, including under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
19. DEFINITIONS
"Clinician" — an independent healthcare professional accepting consultations through the Platform.
"Consultation" — a video or telephone appointment between you and a clinician booked via the Platform.
"Patient Record" — the electronic record we maintain of your interactions with the Platform, as described in clause 12.
"Platform" — our website, mobile applications and associated services operated by Novamedica Limited under the trading name "The GP Service".
"You" — the individual who has registered for an account or is using the Platform.