NHS Dental Fine

missapril75

Londonsu wrote: »

Well I have never had a letter reminding me to pay my TV licence and I don't drive

I no longer live in the UK (left 2004) but every year from 1984 when it was in my name until I started to pay monthly I got a reminder. It was the form that became the next licence when I paid it.

When I was paying by direct debit I got them too as part of the process of advising me of the new rate.

I don't drive either but I'm aware reminders are issued for licences for those that need them. People who don't have NHS exemption don't get reminders either.

I'm merely pointing out an inconsistency. One department does reminders while another doesn't. It's easy enough to tell when you need to renew.

Perhaps the knowledge that people get reminded about a variety of things* makes them think they might at least get a renewal form sent.


*Driving licence, TV Licence (maybe no longer automatic but what if you haven't renewed? I believe you are reminded then. I've seen the letters reproduced in the papers). Housing Benefit. Road Tax? Insurance. I get an annual reminder of the overdraft from my UK bank.

Don't you get reminders for bills when they are due? What happened to the responsibility of the consumer to pay for the services? I get an email reminder every month to tell me my UK credit card payment is due.

When I worked for DSS/DWP we had a form specifically to be sent as a reminder.

See? It's inconsistent. That's all I'm saying

Londonsu

missapril75 wrote: »

I no longer live in the UK (left 2004) but every year from 1984 when it was in my name until I started to pay monthly I got a reminder. It was the form that became the next licence when I paid it.

When I was paying by direct debit I got them too as part of the process of advising me of the new rate.

I don't drive either but I'm aware reminders are issued for licences for those that need them. People who don't have NHS exemption don't get reminders either.

I'm merely pointing out an inconsistency. One department does reminders while another doesn't. It's easy enough to tell when you need to renew.

Perhaps the knowledge that people get reminded about a variety of things* makes them think they might at least get a renewal form sent.


*Driving licence, TV Licence (maybe no longer automatic but what if you haven't renewed? I believe you are reminded then. I've seen the letters reproduced in the papers). Housing Benefit. Road Tax? Insurance. I get an annual reminder of the overdraft from my UK bank.

Don't you get reminders for bills when they are due? What happened to the responsibility of the consumer to pay for the services? I get an email reminder every month to tell me my UK credit card payment is due.

When I worked for DSS/DWP we had a form specifically to be sent as a reminder.

See? It's inconsistent. That's all I'm saying

If I do the company sending the reminders (usually after I paid) are not funded by the UK Tax and NIC payers and the money they pay out for the reminders is not money that should be spent on saving lives and relieving suffering, we all know there is a huge problem with the NHS, its underfunded, people being denied treatment or drugs due to cost, yet you would advocate them spending even more money in sending out reminders to people.


I managed to renew my medical exemption certificate on 3 occasions without the nanny state sending me reminders I really fail to see why other people can't do the same. The trouble is that the NHS has been very lax in chasing people for payment and people are used to just signing the backs of forms and thinking that's the end of it

missapril75

Londonsu wrote: »

If I do the company sending the reminders (usually after I paid) are not funded by the UK Tax and NIC payers

Which is why I mentioned FIVE departments issuing reminders who are funded by public money

Londonsu

missapril75 wrote: »

Which is why I mentioned FIVE departments issuing reminders who are funded by public money

But NOT public money which should be used to save lives and relieving suffering like the NHS - as I said in my post, funny how you didn't quote me on that

missapril75

Londonsu wrote: »

But NOT public money which should be used to save lives and relieving suffering like the NHS - as I said in my post, funny how you didn't quote me on that

It's not funny, I just didn't think it relevant to the point I was making.

I think I can make a point I want rather than be dictated by the point you want to make.

It's all public money. Perhaps if the other government departments stopped sending reminders and put the money saved into saving lives and relieving suffering.

Londonsu

missapril75 wrote: »

It's not funny, I just didn't think it relevant to the point I was making.

I think I can make a point I want rather than be dictated by the point you want to make.

It's all public money. Perhaps if the other government departments stopped sending reminders and put the money saved into saving lives and relieving suffering.

Try making a point without the ignorant smiley faces then you might be taken more seriously


Perhaps if the NHS made better use of its funds it wouldn't need money from other departments, a good way to start is to ensure that it captures all payments due, that includes fraud, people claiming in 'error' and ensuring everyone who does claim has the correct exemption and shows proof, problem is that 'frontline' staff like dental receptionists and pharmacy staff should not have to police the system and would be subject to abuse if they refuse services or medication, Pharmacists in particular see themselves as medical professionals with a duty of care, they cannot and will not deny a patient who needs medication because they don't have the correct paperwork, which is why there is a dedicated department for this, this team seems to be showing their teeth more and more, hence the weeping and wailing of people who have been getting caught out.


Its is not and never will be a good use of NHS resources (even if they got money from another departments) to have to send out reminders to people who have expiry dates on their exemptions and who do not bother to read the expiry date/ignores the expiry date/doesn't think the expiry date applies to them.

surreysaver

Londonsu wrote: »

Why should the cash strapped NHS waste thousands in sending out reminders to people who have exemption documentation with an expiry date on it, its the claimants responsibility to ensure they have the correct exemption, since 2003 I have had a medical exemption certificate for a medical condition, I am always going to have this condition and will always need the medication. BUT my certificate needs to be renewed every 5 years, no one told me it did I just read the expiry date on the card and worked it out myself and managed (until I turned 60 and therefore no use for it) to renew it every time it was due to expire.


Its called taking responsibility.

Why can't the NHS send reminders by email? It would cost them nothing. Or why can't the dentist check eligibility at the time of treatment - you either pay or produce an exemption certificate. It is not difficult - that would be how it would work in any other business.

The NHS would rather waste millions on having anti-fraud departments chasing up those who have not committed fraud.

surreysaver

POPPYOSCAR wrote: »

Do not worry I think they have.


My daughter received a letter treating her like a criminal and with a fine, of I think it was £100, for' not paying' for her dental treatment.

Its ok for the NHS to treat patients like this, but we are not allowed to go around and threaten them. The NHS need sorting out.

surreysaver

Londonsu wrote: »

I managed to renew my medical exemption certificate on 3 occasions without the nanny state sending me reminders I really fail to see why other people can't do the same. The trouble is that the NHS has been very lax in chasing people for payment and people are used to just signing the backs of forms and thinking that's the end of it

The trouble is, a lot of the people who the nanny state chases after are not capable of looking after themselves, so need to be nannied. If the dentist at the point of treatment either took payment, or sought proof of entitlement to free treatment, it would save all this hassle. People would thus be prevented from forgetting or losing their certificates. Or we are now all on this NHS database - surely that could be rigged to show people's entitlements?

At the end of the day, if you were going to claim free dental treatment you were not entitled to, would you not provide false details? How would the anti-fraud department send you a threatening letter then, then?

Londonsu

surreysaver wrote: »

The trouble is, a lot of the people who the nanny state chases after are not capable of looking after themselves, so need to be nannied. If the dentist at the point of treatment either took payment, or sought proof of entitlement to free treatment, it would save all this hassle. People would thus be prevented from forgetting or losing their certificates. Or we are now all on this NHS database - surely that could be rigged to show people's entitlements?

At the end of the day, if you were going to claim free dental treatment you were not entitled to, would you not provide false details? How would the anti-fraud department send you a threatening letter then, then?

OMG are you serious????? first of all I and 1000s of others have opted out of the NHS data base, and secondly the vast majority of people claiming free dental treatment or prescriptions do so due to benefits or low income are you really suggesting the NHS data base hold a persons benefits information or financial records, with THEIR track record of losing or selling the information on the data base.