Unfair Cancellation Fees - Private Consultant

Ibrahim5

I know someone who was regulated by the HCPC. They were struck off for pretending to be a doctor and then committed suicide. There was a clinical psychologist on the forum claiming to be a 'doctor in the NHS'. When it turned out he wasn't a doctor I warned him about the possible consequences and was banned from the forum for doing so!

Undervalued

Ibrahim5 said:

I know someone who was regulated by the HCPC. They were struck off for pretending to be a doctor and then committed suicide. There was a clinical psychologist on the forum claiming to be a 'doctor in the NHS'. When it turned out he wasn't a doctor I warned him about the possible consequences and was banned from the forum for doing so!

I used to know a NHS clinical psychologist who was a "doctor", in that he had a PhD in psychology. However he wasn't a Dr in that he didn't have a medical degree. Silly world!

Ibrahim5

Yes this was the same situation. I think he said they all had PhDs but insisted that he was a doctor.

MalMonroe

I'm really sorry to hear that you've had this horrible experience. What kind of a psychotherapist is that? To not even care about how her actions will affect her clients.

She's being very unreasonable, considering she has done the same to you and you have not charged her. 
If I were you I'd put in writing your objection to her making this charge and I would also enclose an invoice  for the amount of £160 for the time she failed to give you adequate notice of cancellation. Your time is just as valuable to you as her time is to her.

I also think she charges really high fees.  

MalMonroe

Undervalued said:

Ibrahim5 said:

I know someone who was regulated by the HCPC. They were struck off for pretending to be a doctor and then committed suicide. There was a clinical psychologist on the forum claiming to be a 'doctor in the NHS'. When it turned out he wasn't a doctor I warned him about the possible consequences and was banned from the forum for doing so!

I used to know a NHS clinical psychologist who was a "doctor", in that he had a PhD in psychology. However he wasn't a Dr in that he didn't have a medical degree. Silly world!

People do not have to have medical degrees to be doctors. Everyone who has worked hard to gain a PhD  is perfectly entitled to use the title Dr. Because they are actually doctors. Not a silly world at all. Just that some people make assumptions. I worked with clinical psychologists for many years and most of them studied for PhDs. A full time PhD takes between 3 and 4 years to achieve, a part time one takes a couple of years more. For Psychology, add to that a three year undergraduate course and a two year Masters course and it's an 8-9 year commitment to become a Doctor of Philosophy and specialist in Psychology. 

So the NHS clinical psychologist you used to know was actually a doctor. And he'd worked hard for that title.  

MalMonroe

Ibrahim5 said:

Yes this was the same situation. I think he said they all had PhDs but insisted that he was a doctor.

Yes, and that is true.  PhD graduates are doctors. All of them.

PterionPterion

A PhD is actually a higher level of education than a medical doctor.
Medical doctor= double bachelor's with further diplomas and registrations
Phd>Masters>Bachelors. 

Most medical degrees are taught by Phd Dr's as well as medical doctors. 

Ibrahim5

Anyone can call themselves a doctor. It's harmless. The problem is when it's used in a healthcare setting or meant to deceive. The most famous one was Dr Gillian McKeith who was actually stopped by the Advertising Standards Authority. If you go the GPs surgery and ask to see a doctor you don't expect to see a nurse with a PhD in tapestry. Tapestry is very complex and she could call herself a doctor but the patient expects to see a medically qualified doctor. Impersonating a medical doctor is a criminal offence and people who call themselves a doctor in a healthcare setting and is not medically qualified needs to be very careful. The regulators are there to protect the public and take a dim view of dishonesty.

Pollycat

Nm207 said:

the way it works with my insurance, I pay the consultant and then claim the fee back. I have spoken to my insurer however and they have stated that they will not cover cancellation fees. I have not paid the consultant yet. I thought I would post this here for some advice on how to proceed. By the way, I will no longer be seeing this consultant again as this experience has left a bitter taste in my mouth. Any advice would be sincerely appreciated.

So how are you going to proceed?

Undervalued

MalMonroe said:

Ibrahim5 said:

Yes this was the same situation. I think he said they all had PhDs but insisted that he was a doctor.

Yes, and that is true.  PhD graduates are doctors. All of them.

Yes, of course they are but you are completely missing the point!

Like lots of words in the English language, "doctor" has at least two completely different meanings.

As you say, a person who has spent many years studying for a PhD at a recognised university is fully entitled to call themselves Doctor. What they are not entitled to do is to imply that the are qualified to practice as a "Doctor" in the medical sense of the word.

Strangely, those that qualify at medical school as Doctors (in the medical sense) and are entitled to call themselves Doctor do not, at least initially, have a doctorate in the academic sense! They qualify initially as a Batchelor of Medicine (MB) and may or may not go on to become a Doctor of Medicine (MD).

The examples Ibrahim has given are of people with PhD's claiming or implying that they are qualified to practice medicine. Doing so is a criminal offence.

The example I gave of the NHS Clinical Phycologist with a PhD (and a load of other post graduate qualifications) who worked in a setting with a number of consultant psychiatrists and provided them with specialist advice to help them treat their patients.

The "Silly World" comment in my earlier post related to how English (particularly) often uses the same word for completely different meanings.