GP letter charge

pretty_mumma

Hi, I hope someone can help me here.

Im currently receiving esa and have recently completed the medical questionaire. They have now asked me in for a medical assessment. Due to my problems, i cannot go to the office so have requested a home visit. They told me to get my gp to write a report stating why i cannot attend. and fax it to them.

My gp is happy to do this, but the surgery want to charge me anything from £20 to £60 for this. Thats a weeks benefit for me.

My question is, should i have to pay for this? And if not, who do i speak to?

[Deleted User]

You will have to pay for it as it's something you have requested and not a satutory obligation on their part such as DVLA and DLA med forms which are sent to them directly by the agency.

Nothing you can do about it. If you want the letter you will have to pay or go to the office for the appointment.

karenx

Its your choice to not go for the medical so why should ESA pay for a report?
Im guessing the payment is because the GP will have to take alot of time out his/her day to write up a report and get it sent, or stay after work to get it done.

alwaysonthego_2

As the others have stated you will have to pay your GP for his time privately.

dmg24

karenx wrote: »

Its your choice to not go for the medical so why should ESA pay for a report?
Im guessing the payment is because the GP will have to take alot of time out his/her day to write up a report and get it sent, or stay after work to get it done.

I doubt very much that the OP is choosing whether to go or not! :rolleyes:

OP, the others are correct, as it is a request outside of the normal JCP reports, it is chargeable. However, the letter does not need to go into detail, it just needs to state something along the lines of

'x has (condition), and therefore is not able to attend the Medical Centre. Therefore I would recommend a home visit.'

Hopefully they will not charge you too much for this.

TOBRUK

I think most surgeries charge these days if you request letters, reports etc yourself. If the DWP write directly to GP surgeries for a report, that is different. I know my surgery has a list up with different charges for different reports, letters etc.

What difficulties do you have that unable you to attend the office? I'm sure if you were extremely incapacitated they would arrange a home visit. Or you could call them back and tell them that the surgery would be charging for a report and you can't afford it and ask nicely if they could reconsider a home visit stating your condition/difficulties.

Otherwise I'm afraid you will have to pay the surgery.

pretty_mumma

Yup DMG, im not choosing not to go. I have a back injury and am suffering from panic attacks, anxiety and agrophobia due to the recent death of my little girl. It would really cause me a physical and mental problem if i went to the office.
I spoke to Atos who seem to think i shouldnt be charged for it as they are requesting it as evidence as to why i cant attend.
I just wondered if anyone else had been in the same predicament.
Thanks to you all for your replies

daska

Just don't expect ATOS to accept it even if the GP does write. I collapsed in my last medical as a result of being forced to travel to it even though I'm not fit enough, it took 3 of them to get me into a wheelchair and out of the building as a result. First hand experience + GP letter but will ATOS do a home visit? No. Not only that but they arranged a new date that clashed with a JCP appt and wouldn't let me rearrange!

feelinggood_2

pretty_mumma wrote: »

I just wondered if anyone else had been in the same predicament.
Thanks to you all for your replies

I've always mentioned on the forms for DLA and IB that I cannot attend and if they've doubted it they've gone direct to Doctor for a letter, so I've never had to pay. It seems silly to do it differently for ESA. I hope you can get it sorted.

pretty_mumma

Thank you. So do i!!
It does seem like you are treated like a number and an inconvenience rather than someone who is genuinely ill!

Uncertain

Have you asked your GP about this (as opposed to the receptionist)?

The GP is certainly entitled to charge but you may find the doctor will exercise discretion where as the receptionist will only be allowed to blindly follow the rules.

A compromise is that he may be willing to write a line or two in the "doctor's remarks" section of a sick note and a photocopy of this will do.