Healthcare Accounting & Tax Services in the UK

Our UK healthcare accounting services are designed for a range of providers:

• Private GP & Dental Practices: Clinics that serve a mix of private-paying patients and those with private medical insurance.
• Specialist Medical Consultants: Individual doctors or small groups operating as a limited company who bill for private consultations and procedures.
• Care Homes & Domiciliary Care Agencies: Providers who manage funding from local authorities and private-paying residents, requiring robust financial controls to meet CQC standards.
• Digital Health & Health-Tech Startups: Companies developing medical software or telehealth platforms that need to understand VAT rules on digital services and may be eligible for R&D tax credits.

From the first patient consultation or NHS contract, specialized healthcare accounting is essential. It becomes critical at these points:

• When You Register with the CQC: The CQC application and subsequent inspections require evidence of financial viability and sound management.
• When You Begin Billing Insurance or NHS: This introduces the need for meticulous record-keeping to track payments, contractual adjustments, and outstanding claims.
• When Dealing with VAT: Most medical services provided by registered professionals are exempt from VAT. However, some services are not, and incorrectly charging (or failing to charge) VAT can lead to significant issues with HMRC. Understanding partial exemption is key.
• When Managing Clinician Payroll: Calculating pay for associate clinicians, who may be self-employed or on specific contracts, requires specialist payroll knowledge.

Investing in professional healthcare accounting is vital for managing financial risk and optimizing revenue. The cost reflects the high degree of specialization required.

• Small Practice / Solo Consultant: £800 - £2,000 per month. This typically covers specialized bookkeeping, payroll for a small team, and preparation of management accounts.
• Medium-Sized Clinic or Care Home: £2,000 - £4,500 per month. This service level adds more detailed analysis of payer mix, service line profitability, and CQC-ready financial reporting.
• Larger Providers & Health-Tech: Custom pricing from £4,500+, often including virtual CFO services for strategic planning and financial modelling.

The UK healthcare industry is fraught with unique financial and regulatory risks:

• CQC Non-Compliance: A CQC inspection that finds poor financial management can lead to a negative rating, enforcement action, and even suspension of the service.
• VAT Errors: Incorrectly applying VAT exemption rules is a major risk. If HMRC determines you should have been charging VAT, you can be liable for years of back-taxes and penalties.
• Revenue Cycle Leakage: Failure to properly track and collect payments from insurance companies and patients can lead to significant and often permanent loss of revenue.
• Incorrect Associate Payouts: Miscalculating payments to self-employed associate clinicians can lead to disputes and legal challenges.

Healthcare professionals are trained to care for patients, not to be experts in VAT law or CQC financial regulations. Hiring a full-time practice manager with deep financial expertise is a major expense for most private providers.

Outsourcing your accounting to YourLegal provides a cost-effective solution, giving you access to a team that specializes in the UK healthcare sector. We understand the difference between NHS and private revenue streams, the specific VAT rules that apply to medical services, and the financial reporting required by the CQC. We implement robust systems to track your revenue cycle and provide you with clear, insightful reports on your practice's financial health. This allows you to focus on delivering outstanding care, confident that your financial operations are compliant and optimized for success.