GP won's sign PA14 form

KxMx

I would suggest wording the request in terms of "how much is the charge for you to do X form"... may have a different outcome. As it is private work and not NHS care it is reasonable for the patient to pay.
Otherwise, try asking the practice manager for help.

BooJewels

I had 2 similar issues with critical illness insurance forms that were urgent and important to us, but medics were reluctant to complete them.  In the end the GP did theirs upon payment of a £25 fee and the consultant said he didn't waste time on form filling when patients needed his time more.  I explained to the MacMillan nurse that we were likely to lose our home without it, she filled it in and got the consultant to sign it - but it was some time before we got to that stage.

At my father's care home the GP visited every week, but if that's not the case with yours, then can a nurse or regular medical member of personnel do it, even if they get a GP to sign off on it.  But as has been suggested, I think it's pretty standard for non-medical papers to attract a fee, which is fair enough.

henrygeorge123

Hi all,

Original poster here. Just to let you know that I had a phone call out of the blue from the GP who apologised for misunderstanding the nature of the PA14 form. Apparently in 20 years he'd never had to fill one in, which I find hard to believe. It's very important to get more than one executor on your will! You never know if they will be willing/capable when the time comes.

Anyway, he agreed to complete it and I have sent it on - fingers crossed.

Thanks everyone. It's worth persevering with this if your GP is refusing to complete a PA14.

G

Brie

Glad you got it sorted and that you came back to tell us about it.  Best wishes for whatever the future may hold for you.

Flugelhorn

henrygeorge123 said:

Hi all,

Original poster here. Just to let you know that I had a phone call out of the blue from the GP who apologised for misunderstanding the nature of the PA14 form. Apparently in 20 years he'd never had to fill one in, which I find hard to believe. It's very important to get more than one executor on your will! You never know if they will be willing/capable when the time comes.

Anyway, he agreed to complete it and I have sent it on - fingers crossed.

Thanks everyone. It's worth persevering with this if your GP is refusing to complete a PA14.

G

TBH I was a GP for decades and never did one of these so they are probably not that common. 

Glad they did it in the end, I am afraid there was a relentless stream of requests for a signature or to GANFYD and most of the time you just did the ones that were statutory or couldn't be handled in some other way. 

helenk1234

I am in the same situation. My mum's GP is flatly refusing to sign the form. Natwest are insisting on a letter of administration even though my stepfather only had £10k and my mum is sole beneficiary (stepfather said he had a will but solicitor says he never signed it). We have been at it 6 months now trying to get resolved. Has anyone else had this experience and what did they do?

Keep_pedalling

helenk1234 said:

I am in the same situation. My mum's GP is flatly refusing to sign the form. Natwest are insisting on a letter of administration even though my stepfather only had £10k and my mum is sole beneficiary (stepfather said he had a will but solicitor says he never signed it). We have been at it 6 months now trying to get resolved. Has anyone else had this experience and what did they do?

As your step father did not sign the will it is invalid and he died intestate so you might not actually need PA14 as you would be applying for letters of administration using form PA1A and there are no named executors to replace. 

I think the bank are demanding this because they would be paying out to someone who is not a blood relative but if you have power of attorney (LPA or EPA) for your mother you should be able to get the bank to pay her attorneys and avoid the need to apply for LOA. 

As for as I know step children can’t apply for LOA but you could do on behalf of your mother if you have the authority of a financial LPA or EPA. If you don’t have these and there are no living relatives of your step father who could do so you need to take advice from the probate office.

Flugelhorn

Keep_pedalling said:

helenk1234 said:

I am in the same situation. My mum's GP is flatly refusing to sign the form. Natwest are insisting on a letter of administration even though my stepfather only had £10k and my mum is sole beneficiary (stepfather said he had a will but solicitor says he never signed it). We have been at it 6 months now trying to get resolved. Has anyone else had this experience and what did they do?

As your step father did not sign the will it is invalid and he died intestate so you should not actually need PA14 as you would be applying for letters of administration using form PA1A and there are no named executors to replace. 

I think the bank are demanding this because they would be paying out to someone who is not a blood relative but if you have power of attorney (LPA or EPA) for your mother you should be able to get the bank to pay her attorneys and avoid the need to apply for LOA. 

As for as I know step children can’t apply for LOA but you could do on behalf of your mother if you have the authority of a financial LPA or EPA. If you don’t have these and there are no living relatives of your step father who could do so you need to take advice from the probate office.

were mum and stepfather married? Or was she just beneficiary in the unsigned will?

Undervalued

helenk1234 said:

I am in the same situation. My mum's GP is flatly refusing to sign the form. Natwest are insisting on a letter of administration even though my stepfather only had £10k and my mum is sole beneficiary (stepfather said he had a will but solicitor says he never signed it). We have been at it 6 months now trying to get resolved. Has anyone else had this experience and what did they do?

A GP is not obliged to do anything outside of their NHS contract requirements. Assuming this is not a requirement of their contract (and signing most of the many similar requests they get is not part of their duties), they can either charge a private fee or, if they wish simply decline.

My GP's surgery publishes a price list for such work but a friend ran into a considerable problem with his employer when his GP refused any private work at all. The only option was to see another doctor privately at considerable cost.

Keep_pedalling

The form does not have to be signed by a doctor it can be signed by any of the following

• a registered medical practitioner (for example the patient’s GP)
• a registered psychiatrist
• a registered approved mental health professional
• a registered social worker
• a registered psychologist
• a state registered nurse
• a state registered mental nurse
• a registered occupational therapist

If someone is in a care home it is almost certain that at least one if not several of the above will be involved with the patient.