Doctors letter for stress affecting performance

Aubs

I've recently been going through a number of problems at home and went to see my doctor because of the effects of the stress on my performance at university.

I had a call from one of the admin staff at the surgery today saying the letter is ready for me to collect and there is a charge of £25 payable for it...

What's that all about?

I'm a student wanting some support. If it was for an insurance claim or similar where they are looking to claim £000's then I can understand, but a student?

Any advice on this would be grateful.

Thanks

McKneff

Its because its a private request. Quite normal, there will probably be a notice in the surgery somewhere.

This wasnt NHS treatment to make you better so you have to pay for the doctors time, the secretary's typing, the receptionist ringing you, the telephone call., etc. etc. etc.

bestpud

Small price to pay if it means you achieve the degree you are capable of, isn't it?

MessyMare

I had to pay to get a letter detailing the effects and symptoms of my fibromyalgia to give to my tutor. However, if your university has a counselling service, they may be able to provide a similar letter for free? I know one of my friends ended up doing this.

Aubs

I understand the point of charging for things like the letters, but the way the doctor said "there may be a charge. There will be a note with it to say if there is when you pick it up" makes me think that for some reasons they do and others they don't charge ...

So by me saying I'd rather try and deal with things without any medication instead of accepting his offer of some mad drugs for depression, and saving the NHS some money that way, I still get charged?!

I think the university do have some form of counselling, but going there now would waste the time the doctor has already spent doing what he has done and I don't like wasting peoples time, or money so I'll probably just have to get it... I guess if I was on the dole, I would have had it for free!!

dmg24

Aubs wrote: »

I understand the point of charging for things like the letters, but the way the doctor said "there may be a charge. There will be a note with it to say if there is when you pick it up" makes me think that for some reasons they do and others they don't charge ...

So by me saying I'd rather try and deal with things without any medication instead of accepting his offer of some mad drugs for depression, and saving the NHS some money that way, I still get charged?!

I think the university do have some form of counselling, but going there now would waste the time the doctor has already spent doing what he has done and I don't like wasting peoples time, or money so I'll probably just have to get it... I guess if I was on the dole, I would have had it for free!!

You are talking rubbish now.

Drugs will be prescribed on the NHS according to clinical need. There is no clinical need for this letter. Also your description of some mad drugs for depression is pretty ignorant. Some people have no choice but to take these mad drugs. :rolleyes:

If you were on the dole you would not receive the letter for free, for the reason that McKneff has already explained.

McKneff

Aubs wrote: »

I understand the point of charging for things like the letters, but the way the doctor said "there may be a charge. There will be a note with it to say if there is when you pick it up" makes me think that for some reasons they do and others they don't charge ...

So by me saying I'd rather try and deal with things without any medication instead of accepting his offer of some mad drugs for depression, and saving the NHS some money that way, I still get charged?!

I think the university do have some form of counselling, but going there now would waste the time the doctor has already spent doing what he has done and I don't like wasting peoples time, or money so I'll probably just have to get it... I guess if I was on the dole, I would have had it for free!!

No you wouldnt have got it free if you were on the dole:rolleyes:
People who are on the sick or on the dole still have to pay in full for anything private.

DrFluffy

It's a private service, so you need to pay for it. It would be the same if you wanted a doctor to counter sign a photo for a passport application or if you had needed a letter to be able to fly somewhere. If surgeries didn't inpose a charge then GPs would have no time to see patients as they and the surgery staff would be too busy authourising and writing letters!

You are lucky, a lot of GPs do not offer a letter writing service at all.

Would your uni cover the cost if you applied via ALF?

Aubs

dmg24 wrote: »

You are talking rubbish now.

Drugs will be prescribed on the NHS according to clinical need. There is no clinical need for this letter. Also your description of some mad drugs for depression is pretty ignorant. Some people have no choice but to take these mad drugs.

If you were on the dole you would not receive the letter for free, for the reason that McKneff has already explained.

Apologies, there was no ignorant intention, I appreciate full well that some people have to take the drugs. The word 'mad' was used inappropriately, I guess a better word may have been 'bad' due to the sheer power of some such drugs.

The point I was making was that I want to try and sort things out in my head myself without the need for drugs, the doctor did offer them, so even though the doctor thought there was a clinical need, I refused them. Providing I don't end up needing them later on, I feel that's a good thing to do, particularly for my own benefit, but also considering the cost of medicines to the NHS [i.e. you and me as tax payers] (some people would accept them for the sake of it to try and strengthen their case or even to sell!).

I get your point though, and thanks for your comments.

McKneff wrote: »

No you wouldn't have got it free if you were on the dole :rolleyes:
People who are on the sick or on the dole still have to pay in full for anything private.

Fair point, my misunderstanding of your original post regarding the 'private' side of things. Thanks

DrFluffy wrote: »

It's a private service, so you need to pay for it. It would be the same if you wanted a doctor to counter sign a photo for a passport application or if you had needed a letter to be able to fly somewhere. If surgeries didn't inpose a charge then GPs would have no time to see patients as they and the surgery staff would be too busy authourising and writing letters!

You are lucky, a lot of GPs do not offer a letter writing service at all.

Would your uni cover the cost if you applied via ALF?

I don't think it's quite the same as signing a passport photo. If you're ill, and that has a negative effect on your life which in turn could potentially make your 'medical' condition worse, especially in cases of mental (I use that word loosely) issues, surely alleviating part of the problem *is* productive in the recovery of a patient?

Don't know about ALF. Will see. Thanks for that




I know what I've said isn't going to get me anywhere, and saying I'm 'talking rubbish' isn't really productive to the thread, is it?

I'm asking questions. To some they may appear stupid, but to others they may be helpful. I don't ask a question if I know the answer. I thought at the time of writing that I had some reasonable reason for questioning the principle of what had been said. I'm sorry if that was wrong.

Thanks everyone for your responses, much appreciated

Fire_Fox

Aubs wrote: »

Apologies, there was no ignorant intention, I appreciate full well that some people have to take the drugs. The word 'mad' was used inappropriately, I guess a better word may have been 'bad' due to the sheer power of some such drugs.

The point I was making was that I want to try and sort things out in my head myself without the need for drugs, the doctor did offer them, so even though the doctor thought there was a clinical need, I refused them. Providing I don't end up needing them later on, I feel that's a good thing to do, particularly for my own benefit, but also considering the cost of medicines to the NHS [i.e. you and me as tax payers] (some people would accept them for the sake of it to try and strengthen their case or even to sell!).

Why did you go to the doctor, and then refuse treatment? If you are suffering with the physical symptoms of stress, a low dose beta-blocker can really help. They are often prescribed to students for exam stress as they don't make you sleepy like benzodiazepines. Beta-blockers can also be taken 'as and when, so ideal for those who don't want regular medication.

AFAIK There is no black market for anti-depressants, they don't make you 'high' or monged out (unless you are one of the rare few who suffer side effects) and they don't have any addictive properties.

McKneff

[I'm asking questions. To some they may appear stupid, but to others they may be helpful. I don't ask a question if I know the answer. I thought at the time of writing that I had some reasonable reason for questioning the principle of what had been said. I'm sorry if that was wrong.

Thanks everyone for your responses, much appreciated [/QUOTE]

You musnt apologise for asking questions that you dont know the answer to. Its the only way we can learn. So now you know and you have learnt something along the way. There is no such thing as a stupid question
No offence was taken by me and i applaud
your trying to sort things out for yourself. Too many doctors are doling out anti depressants and the like these days. My doctor offered them to me because i had a bad back for 6 months and he said they would help - what. I said the only thing that would help my state of mind is if you make my back better. 2 weeks later i had an injection in my spine and i was fine, instantly. Good luck at your studies and i hope things go well for you