NHS Report Charges

TailsForNives

I have been charged £50 by the local hospital for them to write a letter detailing the outcome of some blood tests.
Can I challenge this? Why so expensive? Does the free NHS not cover admin costs?

jenniewb

I've been charged for a photocopy of my blood test results by my GP in the past because it was a separate trust I my GP had referred to who had requested the tests and the trusts do not have systems which link the trusts together (and still don't 10 years on). I was charged £5 at the time for a single page of numbers and so on.

At the time, the trust I was referred to was shocked I had been charged and had the GP surgery refund me. If your situation is similar, maybe you could ask this?

I've no idea though on the rules about charging other than their making the charges clear from the outset and if they didn't do this, I'd make a complaint because £50 is steep for test results unless they are charging you for the test being done at your request? And if they were, then the price should have been addressed at the outset.

donnac2558

No the free NHS is for treating the ill, not randomly doing admin for patients.

My GP has a list up with all charges for items outside the normal. Letters can cost £20(my GP once told me if wrote letters for every patient who just asked. He would have no time to see any patients), only if referred by the GP themselves are these free. Certain blood tests are also charged, health checks for starting new jobs etc.

Who is the results for that you need them to print them out? Hospitals usually contact your own GP anyway with results.

teddysmum

Besides having medical staff under pressure because of patient numbers, admin staff also have a heavy load. My neurologist's secretary has to cover three consultants, yet only works three days per week.


After a consultation,this secretary types out a report with any test results( in outcome not figures) for my GP and myself.


However, when I have annual test at the GPs' surgery, a practice nurse gives me results at check up time , but if any are done in between, a receptionist will provide the results ,if an appropriate person has checked them. None of these are printed for me ,but I would expect to pay if I wanted a hard copy, not that I can think of any reason why I'd want one.

GlasweJen

Sounds like they've charged it as getting a copy of your medical records which carries a maximum £50 charge

pmduk

As a diabetic I've always been led to believe I'm entitled to a copy of my test results. My GP happily has them printed for me or I can access them online. I wonder if the OP needed some extra analysis of the results adding tot the letter?