Anyone else have problems getting GP's to write thorough letters?

faerielight

Just wondering if anyone else has problems getting full documentation from their GP;s? She refused me a letter at all 2 weeks ago,.she got the practice manager to ring me and tell me she thought it was "inappropriate" to write a letter at all,it made me feel like a malingerer. She did do one, eventually . I am trying to get her to write me a letter to appeal my housing banding decision detailing all my illness and disabilities and the physical reasons I am struggling to live in my privately rented flat and to get housed by the council in a disability flat.

. The letter focuses on my "severe Personality Disorder" as the main illness, it misses out my widespread osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, incontinence, CFS/me,, ,osteoporosis, my pain levels and the high dose morphine I am on, and pain patches, and the severity of all my bowel surgeries , with a colostomy and ileostomy previously and the damaged caused by them . She also wrote that I "feel" like I have some post traumatic symptoms, missing out that I have a diagnosis of PTSD from the medical trauma, and that now I'm on the list for my 6th bowel surgery, it's sent my PTSD into overdrive.
She put that I'm under a rheumatologist but missed out the 3 other consultants I'm under. She mentioned that I have a care agency but insinuated it is for my mental health, which it isn't.

I don't want to antagonise her, I don't mind paying, all I'm asking for is a list of all the illnesses that have been diagnosed by consultants, I'm not asking for anything that hasn't been formally diagnosed,
I can get a letter from the PD centre and my keyworker about the psychological impact of my living conditions but it seems so hard to get a comprehensive letter off her about the physical side of my health. After she refused, I asked her if it was because of the way I came accross when asking for a letter as I am really stressed but she said that it was because she was behind with her patients that day, is there a way of approaching a GP in a better way? Would it be appropriate to take a list in with me of the illnesses I need her to document or shall I just give up trying?

Torry_Quine

I don't have an answer for you but hope you get it sorted.x

faerielight

thanks torry,

lurkylurky

I know it's a pain in the neck but could you get letters from each of the specialties that you are under.

faerielight

it's a good idea lurky, I know my bowel surgeon won't write a letter, I've been asking him for years, but I'm seeing the other 2 consultants this month so I will ask them. Thanks for the suggestion

Tommo1980

Have you ordered a copy of your medical records from the surgery? These should detail everything you are asking for, including diagnosis, medication, referrals and consultants reports etc.

GPs in general are reluctant to do the types of letter you are requesting. Both because of time constraints/workload and conflict of interest.

You could pay for a detailed letter/report to be done privately if you really felt it would help.

Tom

pinkmouse

I had a problem getting my GP to write a letter at all for PIP. When asked they told me that they would write back if the DWP wrote to them but other than that, they couldn't help me as they didn't want to "add to the bulk". When I thought about appealing, I asked them to support me in the appeal but they refused unless I went to the surgery. I have not left the house since August due to severe M.E so getting to the surgery is out of the question right now. In the end I ended up not appealling as it was making me even more poorly. I don't know what to suggest fairielight but I just wanted to let you know that I hear ya

faerielight

oh pinkmouse sorry to hear your GP was so uncooperative.. I have me too and it's an awful illness When you're ill and exhausted, it's so hard to fight for these battles. I think it is difficult to get GPs to write comprehensive letters, they seem to only write a few lines. It scares me for when I have to transfer to PIP as I will need a thorough letter from her. I' terrified of losing my motability car as I would be totally housebound without it.

Tommo, I have requested to be able to access my full medical records, as that is a way to get around my GP. Hopefully they will let me see them to print the diagnoses out.

Ames

I agree that getting copies of all letters sent from consultants to your GP is probably the way to go. Not just for housing, but for PIP too.

There's a charge, but it's capped at (I think) £50.

I don't think they'd let you see your records and print them for free.

lurkylurky

Were you copied in on the letters from consultant to GP when you were originally diagnosed and followed up after surgery? I would use these. If you did't keep them I would ask the consultant's secretary to send you copies. I work in the NHS and the secretaries where I work are often asked for copies of letters and send them out free of charge.

My husband transferred from DLA to PIP last year and had a home assessment. We gave the assessor lots of copies of clinic letters many of which were out of date (I think the form said they should be less than six months old). I don't know if they asked our GP for input but I know that after he applied for DLA she showed us a tray in her office which was full of letters from DWP and she said there was one there for my husband.

I wouldn't worry too much about getting doctors to write letters. Just submit your evidence in the form of clinic letters. DWP will then write to the GP or consultant. Our GP is absolutely brilliant but I don't think she would write a letter in advance but has obviously done the right thing in our case.

I wish you all the best. I know how distressing this is for you.

faerielight

thanks for all your replies. I've been speaking to a few friends and they haven't managed their gps to write more than a couple of sentances either.
I don't have the letters from all the consultants with the diagnoses as some were 15 years ago. I do have the PTSd diagnosis letter, and actually, I received a letter today from a consultat I am under in London and he wrote a really thorough letter today, including most of my diagnoses so that will be really handy. It puts the letter my GP wrote to shame!! I have applied to get full access, I hope they don't block me on grounds of mental health.