cost of GP letter

chiarieds

@pollyanna1052 thank you for your kind words. I can still see little Mark's face 40 years later. it was a privilege to work with some of the patient's I had, especially the children.

Adrian_Scope

Hi @chiarieds, thank you for sharing your stories of your time working with the NHS, it was a really moving read and I'm sure you made a big difference to the lives of the people you mentioned (and many more). 

chiarieds

Thank you @Adrian_Scope. I became a physio as I really wanted to help people. Some of my patients made a big difference in my life. I have also had many occasions to be grateful for my physio training, with my children having different problems & then researching to find out more to help our family & others. Many of you really help people in this community; I just helped in a different way.

28hopel

I paid £60 and it was only 3 lines?

poppy123456

28hopel said:

I paid £60 and it was only 3 lines?

This is exactly why a letter from a GP isn't the best evidence.

chiarieds

Hmm...so playing Devil's advocate here, what is the best evidence? I must admit that I would be disappointed to pay £60 & only receive 3 lines, but can it be argued that therefore any GP's letter is not the best evidence?

Perhaps the best evidence is your own. I can only comment on the PIP process. You fill in this 'How Your Disability Affects You' booklet....some said to exaggerate it; fill it in as if it was my worst days.... I completed it honestly. When questioned by the Health Care Professionals at my assessments (did have 2 as apparently the first was incomplete) I was then just reiterating the truth of how my conditions affect me.....so no contra-indications as to my veracity.

Over the years various consultants I've met have been kind enough to send me a copy of their letters. Almost invariably I have found that they contained errors..... one Professor I saw even asked me to re-write them after I emailed his secretary underlining what he thought had been said, & putting in brackets what was indeed factual.

A person's evidence may be the best evidence. Anything else to corroborate that may be beneficial. It may depend, as far as your GP goes, as to whether they have a good understanding of your disorder/disability....whether they understand the PIP descriptors....whether they have seen you often & understand how your problems affect you; whether you have a good rapport with them & feel they may be able to help you. There are so many variables.

I argue (with the greatest respect to the OP & others) that a blanket assumption that a GP's letter may not help may be incorrect.....it all depends. Any supporting evidence you may have such as Consultant's letters, Physio/OT reports, test results, etc. should of course be used if they corroborate your information correctly.

paffuto10

@chiarieds

Same here with copy letters. 

Every time I see anyone who will be writing to my GP, I ask them to send me a copy. 

These are what I am using for my PIP renewal assessment next week. 

Fingers crossed.!!! 

Aarrggh..........

chiarieds

@paffuto10 I hope all goes well with your PIP renewal assessment next week. Great you have copies of letters sent to your GP!

pollyanna1052

paffuto10 said:

@chiarieds

Same here with copy letters. 

Every time I see anyone who will be writing to my GP, I ask them to send me a copy. 

These are what I am using for my PIP renewal assessment next week. 

Fingers crossed.!!! 

Aarrggh..........

Good luck with your renewal assessment x

paffuto10

@pollyanna1052
@chiarieds

Thankyou, both of you x

Jackbit

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/63437/cost-of-gp-letter

My son is unemployed through disability and applied for a bus pass to Greater Manchester Buses. The form had to be signed by a G.P. before consideration. On approaching Wigan Doctors he was told that there would be a fee of £25 for signing the form??? He has no such money as he is on benefit,,,,so how does he get the form signed if he hasnt the funds. He needs to get about on public transport to hospital appointments/doctors/chemists etc?

GMT is a government department asking another government department for confirmation via my son and charging for it…this cannot be right surely? The doctors dio not charge for raising a prescription, so what is the difference. i understand in private matters where the person is going to benefit in kind…but a bus pass to be able to attend medical appointments…come on lets be sensible.

Maybe he should get a flight over to Fance then return by boat and then he is GUARANTEED a Bus Pass 24/7 without even asking or filling in a form.It will be waiting for him on arrival-FACT,

Kimi87

Any non NHS work is often charged for by GP's, and reasonably so in my opinion.

Since bus passes save so much money and are very valuable to have, perhaps your son could save up a little at a time, or go without something else temporarily to afford the letters he needs.

My area is served by two bus companies, company A (who I mainly use) would cost £215 per quarter for a pass, and maybe £15 per month for company B.

I've also used my bus pass occasionally when visiting London & other areas, so bus travel would cost me approximately £1100 a year.

In that context, I had no issues in the past with paying for a GP letter. I now qualify automatically with my PIP award.

In my area, asylum seekers do not qualify for bus passes.

rubin16

Also doctors surgeries are privately owned bodies, they are not run by the government and get paid based on doing things for the NHS. Such as seeing patients, writing prescriptions etc. Its reasonable for a doctors surgery to charge for work that they otherwise wouldn't be paid for their time for.