Medically reviewed by Dr Sulaiman Shah , MBChB BMedSci, MRCGP — General Practitioner and founder of The GP Clinic. Last reviewed: 07 October 2026
“Online doctor” covers two genuinely different things in the UK, and mixing them up is the easiest way to book the wrong service. One type is a GP video or phone consultation — you speak to a doctor, who can assess you, write a sick note, or refer you on. The other is a pharmacy-led prescription service — you fill in a questionnaire for a specific, named condition (like erectile dysfunction or hair loss), and a clinician reviews it without ever speaking to you. Both are legitimate, but they solve different problems. Here’s how the main UK options break down.
These involve an actual conversation with a doctor — the right category if you need a sick note, a medical certificate, a referral, or advice on something that isn’t a single named condition.
| Service | Consultation Price | Length | Sick Note / Certificate | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The GP Clinic | From £45 | ~20–30 mins | Included in the certificate-specific consultation price | 9am–9pm, 365 days/year |
| London Doctors Clinic | £70 | 10 mins | +£10 sick note, +£10 referral, +£8 prescription (charged separately) | 7 days a week |
| Virtually Healthcare | Free (NHS-funded) | ~10 mins | Included, as part of standard NHS GP service | Mon–Fri; requires switching your NHS GP registration to them |
Price structure: The GP Clinic’s certificate consultations include the document in the stated price. London Doctors Clinic’s £70 is for the consultation only — the sick note, referral, or prescription are each billed on top, so the real cost of “get a sick note” there is closer to £80.
Appointment length: A 10-minute slot (London Doctors Clinic, Virtually Healthcare) suits a quick, single-issue visit. The GP Clinic’s longer ~20–30 minute format gives more room for anything with a bit more nuance, like a mental health assessment.
Free vs paid: Virtually Healthcare is genuinely free, but it’s not pay-as-you-go — it’s an NHS GP practice you register with, which means de-registering from your current GP and being geographically tied to their North London catchment for any in-person follow-up. It’s a strong option if you’re looking for a new NHS GP anyway; it’s not really a quick one-off booking in the way a private service is.
Boots Online Doctor, LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor, and Superdrug Online Doctor all run on the same model: no appointment, no video call by default — you complete a questionnaire for a specific condition, a clinician reviews it (not a live consultation), and if approved, medication is delivered or ready for collection, often within hours.
| Service | Model | What It’s For | What It’s Not For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boots Online Doctor | Questionnaire + pharmacist/clinician review, no video call | Named conditions: weight loss, ED, hair loss, skin conditions, sexual health, contraception | Sick notes, GP consultations, anything needing a live clinical conversation |
| LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor | Questionnaire + clinician review, no video call | Same category: weight loss, ED, hair loss, contraception, STI testing | Sick notes, GP consultations, general medical advice |
| Superdrug Online Doctor | Questionnaire + GMC-registered doctor review, no video call | Same category, plus general skin/chronic condition prescriptions | Sick notes, GP consultations, anything requiring assessment beyond the named condition |
These are well-suited to exactly what they’re built for — ongoing medication for a known, named condition, fast and without an appointment. They’re not an alternative to a GP consultation if what you actually need is a sick note, a referral, or advice on something that doesn’t fit a pre-set questionnaire.
Within the GP-video-consultation category, The GP Clinic sits on genuine consultation time (~20–30 minutes vs 10), with the relevant certificate bundled into the price rather than charged as an add-on, and availability that runs later into the evening and across every day of the year. It isn’t free the way an NHS-registered route is, and it isn’t the fastest 10-minute slot on the market — the trade-off is a longer, more thorough consultation and an all-in price, over speed and minimum cost.
No — pharmacy-led questionnaire services (Boots, Lloyds, Superdrug) are built for ongoing medication for named conditions, not for sick notes or general GP consultations. You’d need a GP video consultation service for that.
If you’re happy to register with them as your main NHS GP and you’re within their catchment area, it can be a genuinely free, ongoing option. If you just need a one-off appointment without switching your registration, a pay-as-you-go private service is usually the better fit.
Different providers structure pricing differently — some bundle any document issued into the consultation price, others charge the base consultation separately from any letter or note that results from it. Always check what’s included before booking if a specific document is the reason you’re booking.
For a known, named condition with a standard treatment pathway, a questionnaire reviewed by a registered clinician can be entirely appropriate. For anything that needs assessment or judgement beyond a set questionnaire, a live consultation gives the clinician more to work with.
Check for CQC registration (for regulated activities in England) and that doctors are listed as GMC-registered — reputable services state both clearly rather than implying them.
Real video consultation with a GMC-registered, CQC-regulated UK GP — appointments available 9am–9pm, 365 days a year, from £45.
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The GP Clinic, 124 City Road, London EC1V 2NX
Disclaimer: This comparison reflects publicly available information as of October 2026. Prices, formats and availability change — always confirm current details directly with each provider before booking. This article is for general information only and does not constitute medical advice.
