Licence to perform

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izzymum
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Licence to perform

Post by izzymum »

Just wanted to ask how much you pay for your GP health check for the entertainment perform licence, and if your agency asks for this before even getting an audition. Mine charges 50 pound which seems quite a lot when you can't shop around and its a licence for under 16. Also depends on which doctor I get, one just signs it the other give a heart monitor, check her chest and blood pressure. Was just interested others experiences
TalyaB
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Re: Licence to perform

Post by TalyaB »

We've only ever done this once DS has got a part. Our GP has generally charged us about £25 and has not even seen DS - on the basis that if he hasn't seen him he must be healthy! However, from tomorrow the law changes and a GP's letter is not always required - parents/guardians can certify their child as fit to perform - but in some cases a letter from the doctor is still needed. I don't know whether it's the individual councils who decide or whether it's standard, but here's the information from Hertfordshire: http://www.hertsdirect.org/services/edl ... mploy/cpl/ There's a link to the national regulations at the top,though I couldn't find any mention of GP or parental letters in there, and then if you scroll down on the page, it tells you who the letter has to come from for each type of work, e.g. they still want a GP's letter for film, TV and theatre of more than a week, though last time I did this in practice, she let me do the letter and said more than a week meant every day, which sounds unlikely anyway for professional theatre, as the children generally rotate. £50 sounds steep though.
Last edited by TalyaB on Fri Feb 06, 2015 12:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
fartoomuchtodo
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Re: Licence to perform

Post by fartoomuchtodo »

This varies wildly and there are a few threads on here about this already. My DS's agent does require him to have a valid medical certificate at all times as castings can often be very short notice and I think they find it easier if everyone is 'ready to go'. However it does work out expensive as a certificate lasts only 6 months. Last year, my GP's fees went up form a fiver to £38.50 overnight!
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Caroline A-C
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Re: Licence to perform

Post by Caroline A-C »

I think it is so unfair the way these fees range wildly from one GP to another. My GP used to charge £10, then it went up to £30 overnight. Dd now away at school and the school GP doesn't charge anything!!
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Dwafffamily
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Re: Licence to perform

Post by Dwafffamily »

You won't need to get a doctors letters from this month onwards anyway.
TalyaB
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Re: Licence to perform

Post by TalyaB »

Hertfordshire says all filming still needs a GP's letter, and theatre of more than a week. Are they allowed to interpret it like this?
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Flosmom
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Re: Licence to perform

Post by Flosmom »

I haven't been asked for a GP letter for Flo for ages - just a parental declaration.

But when GP certificates were the norm, ours charged £5 each and didn't see the girls before issuing them. I just took an unsigned version into reception, paid them money and a couple of days later I popped back to collect it with GP signature in place.

Hope this helps - good luck!

Deb x
izzymum
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Re: Licence to perform

Post by izzymum »

Thanks for all the reply it makes interesting reading. Just feel ripped off, our area not horrible but in no way could you say it's an affluent area im from essex but 50 pounds was a lot to find. Oh well better start saving for the next one in six months. Although this probably the last year we will do this my daughter is feeling a little dishearten at not getting anything major and I think it all slow down abit once they reach 13.
Irishdancer
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Re: Licence to perform

Post by Irishdancer »

Think it is usually midelling agencys that expect you to send every thing to them for licence. My dc have always been with acting agencys so we sort out the licence are self so when my dc reached the age that there was very little work did not get doctors letter every 6 months just if they got work was was not that often we had to fill every thing in talk to local LEA take every thing over to them myself
lyndahill
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Re: Licence to perform

Post by lyndahill »

I would wait until your DD gets something as from Spring you should find that no councils will be looking for doctors letters as changes to licenses come in for all councils.Our council still wants until Governnent changes haven't come in to force yet. £50 is too much to pay for a couple of lines and she may not need it unless she gets a job. x
Fruitcake
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Re: Licence to perform

Post by Fruitcake »

My DS was only ever asked when he had been offered a job - it was part of the licensing process.

We were very lucky that our GP would do this for us without charge. Mind you, he was a professional actor before he became a GP, so was on our side from day one! We would go and see him and he would just ask me if DS was healthy and sign a "Fit to work" form, which always sufficed for our LEA. The one time he was on holiday and I had to see another GP at the same practice was a bit more of a battle, but she still, reluctantly, agreed to do it free of charge....but only because her colleague had always done it!

Glad to hear this is being phased out at last.
Don't count your chickens until the contract's in your hand!
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