Should I pay my mate for looking at my knee?

Dan_Thunder

The thing is though that the OP's friend made the offer. If I said to a mate that I've got a bad knee and asked them to look at it then I, and I think most people, would expect to pay for the treatment.

If however you're talking about it in a group of friends and one of them pipes up and tells you to come and see them I think there's a fair assumption that they're making the offer as a friend rather than purely as a business transaction.

My view is that if you're making the one making the offer to a friend then at the very least there should be some sort of 'mates rates' offer in there or else you're basically just touting for business.

I wonder if the OP has considered that the invoice was sent out by mistake. His friend might not have wanted to charge him but the admin staff may have done it as standard practise without realising?

If not then in this case I think they should pay and just be wary of them if there's a next time.

Toothsmith

julie777 wrote: »

I totally agree with you - most professionals will make sure you know the fee upfront, tell you what payment methods they accept,
and usually you pay on the day so I think he was pulling a fast one!

It might just be worth checking that he meant for a bill to be sent?

Usually you would pay on the day. Does he have a receptionist? Could it be that she has just seen the appointments, seen someone hasn't paid, and sent out the invoice. He might have just not noted down that it wasn't to be charged, and she hasn't realised.

Acremead

Sounds like the physio needs to tighten up his office procedures. My osteopath has his rates clearly displayed and expected payment immediately after the treatment. Recently he's had several people who've "left my wallet in the car, so I'll just nip out to get the cash", never to be seen again- so now he's having to ask patients to pay BEFORE the treatment.


Seems very sneaky or amateurish of your physio not to mention payment at all and then send a bill later. Sadly, if I were you I'd pay and chalk this one up to experience. Never assume- always check!

System

My boyfriend is a physio, I would be upset if his friends came to him for appointments that could be taken by paying customers or on his days off and just expected treatment for free, time is money after all and physiotherapy is a very expensive thing so they shouldn't expect to have it for free.

However I would encourage him to offer them ‘mates rates’ rather than the full whack. So long as they didn’t make a habit of it and expect free/cheap physio all the time.

I'd talk to my friend and say I didn't realise prior to the appointment it would be so costly so can I pay in instalments and use it as a lesson to ask first in future!

shamilt1

You've got to pay him- but I'd be annoyed. A mate of mine is a physio, when I had a dodgy Achilles he saw me, I offered to pay but he wouldn't entertain it. If I was you I would pay him in front of the rest of your mates next time you go out for a pint, then shame him into buying a round of drinks with the cash.

iainski47

No you should not!
This guy has been unprofessional and probably unethical in his advise that he gave. He should have advised that you attend your local A&E department (preferably early in the morning when the department is likely to be quiet) where you would be assessed by an A&E doctor who would involve an orthopaedic surgeon if indicated. If there was a suspicion of cartilage damage an MRI scan would be booked. For simple sprains a cold compress with a frozen bag of peas held on knee plus ibuprofen would suffice. A (free) NHS physiotherapy appointment (or private appointment if you wish to see your friend) might be suggested.

Dan_Thunder

sauceoclock wrote: »

My boyfriend is a physio, I would be upset if his friends came to him for appointments that could be taken by paying customers or on his days off and just expected treatment for free, time is money after all and physiotherapy is a very expensive thing so they shouldn't expect to have it for free.

True, but as the OP said, he didn't ask for help it was the physio friend who came to him and made the offer.

Talent

Mate? Someone you have an occasional game of badders with? Don't think so. You've made an assumption and been caught out, that's all, so pay up.
Now the way to do that is, at the next game, with your other 'mates' around, tell him that the physio was 'wickid' and it sorted your knee out 'well good' and hand over the payment in cash. Make sure he counts it. Apologise that the payment is a bit late, cashflow etc. All your 'mates' then know the score and you haven't whinged to any of them about it. (You haven't, have you? Uh ho!).
Next time use the NHS.

bmf53

Pay the bill and stop expecting favours; physiotherapy is his living.

You might also consider keeping your distance from someone who drums up business among friends.

oldtrout

I WOULD LOVE TO GET THE FEEDBACK ON WHAT THE OPs OF THESE 'DILEMMAS' ACTUALLY DO ABOUT THEIR PROBLEM.

NEVER EVER GET FEEDBACK.

YOU ARE ALL WASTING YOUR TIME (and so am I by posting this)