SMI - Doc wanted fee to sign form!

Raywill

When I applied for the SMI benefit for an Alzheimer`s sufferer after the TV programme (thank you Martin), my Doctor`s staff demanded a £15 fee for the Doctor to sign the form. In fact one woman at the surgery phoned me in what I can only describe as quite a bullying tone. I emailed the Council and they phoned me minutes later (thank you Rother DC) to say that under "Schedule 9 of the NHS (General Medical Services) Regulations 1992 your doctor is not allowed to charge for a certification of severe mental impairment."
Please make this clear to readers: I phoned other doctors` surgeries and it was obvious that the surgery staff knew nothing of this rule. I reckoned that £15 for a signature was about £900 an hour. Nice for some!

BorisThomson

You are correct that there is no charge for this service, but you have quoted the incorrect statute. The correct law is Schedule 4 National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) Regulations 2004, the one you refer to only applies to poll tax.

You also misunderstand the GP's responsibility in signing the form. They need to check the patient's records and make an evidence based assessment of whether they fulfil the criteria. That might reasonably take fifteen minutes for a patient that is known to them, so closer to £60 an hour, which is far below a GP's professional rate.

Raywill

You are perfectly correct. The 1992 Act (which mentions the Community Charge) has been superseded by the 2004 Act.
Doctors` computers are pretty fast these days: records are accessed in a fraction of the time for a 10 minute consultation.

CIS

I would also point the Dr towards the BMA's own guidance on the SMI form. https://www.bma.org.uk/advice/employment/fees/certificates-no-charge

Craig

biggysmaller

My doctor is fantastic and wrote a full three page medical report for those ***** for a wca!.... Guess what, for free!