5 reasons you may need to use a specialist healthcare surveyor at your GP practice

There are hundreds of surveyors across the UK, but why should you use a specialist healthcare surveyor when looking to address the premises issues at your GP practice?

1. Your latest Notional Rent review has just taken place, however you are not happy with the figure and feel you are being underfunded

By instructing a specialist healthcare surveyor with experience of working for GP practices, you will guarantee that the most appropriate comparable evidence is used when checking values. Specialist surveyors will also have full knowledge of the market place and external factors which may affect surgeries when negotiating rental figures. The primary care market is a national one, and as such a generic local surveyor may not be able to ensure that maximum rate is achieved during negotiations.

2. You want to implement a Pharmacy at your GP surgery and have to enter negotiations with the Pharmacy company to agree the terms of the contract and rent reviews

The addition of a pharmacy is an excellent way of bringing additional income into a GP practice and for the creation of a ‘one-stop shop’ for patients. However, Pharmacy companies will have their own teams during negotiations and planning to achieve the best terms for them. To ensure that GP practices obtain the best terms, it is very important that they seek the services of a specialist healthcare surveyor who has experience of the market place. First of all the heads of terms must be prepared and agreed to create a favourable situation for the GPs, and to ensure that optimum financial returns are received. At subsequent rent reviews a specialist surveyor must also be instructed to represent the practice to ensure that the rent is maximised.

3. You need to have your practice premises valued and want to ensure that you receive an accurate valuation

The valuation of a GP surgery is a specialist skill and therefore needs to be undertaken by someone with experience of working within the sector. Unlike other commercial premises there are a number of other factors which need to be taken into consideration when valuing doctors surgery. A specialist surveyor will use a range of comparable evidenced adjusted specifically in the context of the primary care market.

4. You want to build a new surgery but are unsure of the feasibility of the scheme and need to obtain approval from the PCT

Before commencing with a new surgery development, approval must be sought from the PCT. This will require undertaking an initial feasibility study for the scheme, and then preparing a business plan to present to the PCT. Business Plans are typically lengthy documents and will require a range of information to be included such as the practice and local health needs, as well and technical details about the planned building and costings. Practice staff may not have the skills, nor the time to prepare such a document, therefore the service of a specialist healthcare surveyor is often required who can prepare the document on behalf of the practice.

5. You’re building an extension to create extra space at your surgery and you want help in planning the layout of the premises to ensure that legislation and standards are met and optimum returns received

There is a range of legislation and standards which GP practice need to meet with regards to their premises. When building a new extension at a doctors surgery, professional advice from a specialist surveyor should be sought to ensure that the work meets required standards. Specialist surveyors will be able to advise on the layout of the premises to ensure that best use has been made of the space and will ensure maximum value for notional rent reimbursement.

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