GP gave incorrect info & now charging £82 to fix it

sharon1214

I’m on ESA due to mental health issues (Anxiety,OCD, Agoraphobia and ADHD)
I sent in my work capability assessment along with my private psychiatrist report from 2019 to confirm my diagnosis and symptoms.

ESA wrote a letter to my GP requesting for them to confirm my conditions and diagnosis. When I received a copy of my GP response, they had missed out the fact that I had Agoraphobia and OCD and they ticked Yes to the box stating that I’m fully able to get public transport to an assessment centre for a face to face appointment, despite my whole medical records showing that I haven’t left my house in 5 years.
But they already sent this response back.

I contacted my GP today to tell them to correct their mistake and they told me if I want it corrected I’ll have to pay them £82 to do so.

I am utterly disgusted by this, I cannot believe how immoral this is. I’m really upset because they have given inaccurate information and they confirmed that they got it wrong and now I’m meant to find £82 to correct their mistake, I don’t have the money to do this. If I had that money I wouldn’t be on ESA in the first place. 

I’m worried because now my ESA claim is ruined, ESA won’t take my word over a GP and it makes me look like a total liar given I told ESA I cannot leave my house. 

Does anyone have any advice? 

lisyloo

It sounds like you’ve had a standard response. Ask if you can speak to the practice manager and explain the situation.

Alice_Holt

 "....despite my whole medical records showing that I haven’t left my house in 5 years."

Request a copy of your medical records for, say, the last 5 or 6 years. Request a paper version.
Under GDPR provisions the surgery have to supply this free of charge. 
You have a right to see the information they hold on you.
(Google Subject Access Request under GDPR for more info).
You can then take relevant pages to your assessment / post on as further ESA medical evidence. 

Explain in the letter why you need to get this information, and the urgency to get it before the ESA  assessment.

Did you speak to a GP, or surgery admin staff?

If the latter, then book a call with your GP and explain that your anxiety / mental health has been affected by their error, etc that you and very fearful about the likely consequence on your ESA claim.   Ask if they can write a note retracting the incorrect info.
If they aren't helpful - complain to them:
https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/how-to-complain-if-you-re-unhappy-with-your-gp-or-doctor-s-surgery-a2fyc8v0Q7Nj

and copy this letter to the ESA assessing company as extra evidence.

Alice_Holt

lisyloo said:

It sounds like you’ve had a standard response. Ask if you can speak to the practice manager and explain the situation.

     I think it would be better for the OP to speak to a GP in the practice (see above post).

TELLIT01

I don't know if requesting a Mandatory Reconsideration of the ESA decision would be any use.  If you informed ESA that the GP has acknowledged missing off relevant information, but is demanding payment to correct it, they may chase the GP for this info.

Others will have more current experience of the system and whether or not that approach may work.

calcotti

OP might wish to to request a copy of the GP Practice complaints procedure and then make a formal complaint.

Alice_Holt

TELLIT01 said:

I don't know if requesting a Mandatory Reconsideration of the ESA decision would be any use.  If you informed ESA that the GP has acknowledged missing off relevant information, but is demanding payment to correct it, they may chase the GP for this info.

Others will have more current experience of the system and whether or not that approach may work.

       Going by their opening post, the OP has not has had an ESA assessment yet. They state that they are still receiving ESA. The OP wishes to correct the incorrect information given by their surgery before a decision on they ESA is made.

    Hence my earlier post suggesting they obtain a copy of their medical records by a SAR, complain to the surgery, etc.