GP charging for blue badge letter - disabled child

If you expect it under the NHS you do expect it for free 🤦🏼‍♀️ The NHS prioritises its expenditure and has decided this isn’t a priority (and I can see why). So you pay for it (possibly using some of the State funded money that you receive because of the difficulty of your circumstances) or you don’t have it. I’m still lost on why that’s shocking

Totally understand your frustration.
However- GP practices do not get paid to do this.
Its technically classed as private work.
Gp time, secretary time and associated costs have to be covered.

Writing letters such as these is outside the NHS contract, hence gps charge for it.

Yep this in a nutshell. Imagine how many forms they have to fill in. It will not just be 1 or 2. It'll be countless forms each day.

So they should work for nothing because a patient is vulnerable? They would go bankrupt if they did.

Sorry we as a society expect freebies and unpaid labour from a whole host of professions by using emotive language such as 'vulnerable' etc.

They are showing empathy by providing a service to vulnerable patients.

It is a way of expecting things for free by using such language. They are a business. You pay for their service.

I expect to pay for services when I need them. My needs are nothing to do with you but it really does show your lack of empathy in your presumptions about others.

You also lack empathy for people making a living and expect things for free.

The admin is overwhelming. And of course it means that rather than them saying yes and emailing you a pdf, you have to wait until they say it is ready, call them to make a payment (may take several efforts) and then wait for them to release it. It slows the process down and adds an additional layer of stress and bureaucracy to what is already an admin nightmare.

The NHS doesn’t charge. The NHS contracts GPs to deliver certain services, the point is that the NHS doesn’t include writing letters for applications in that contract they make with GPs. So a GP can charge the recipient or they can go unpaid for doing that work.

OP, the NHS contract doesn’t cover work like this, tbh even the appointment you had to ask for it wasn’t covered under the remit of the NHS. This would just be an admin request, lots of people use appointments to ask for insurance forms and things, this is why a lot of GP’s now ask why you are booking an appt so the appts on the NHS are used for medical issues not admin. It’s related to his medical conditions but it’s an admin function.

They aren’t allowed to fill in forms in NHS time, therefore they do it in their own time which is why there is a fee, as otherwise they are working through their lunches or later in the evening for free. Just because they are a doctor doesn’t mean they are expected to work for free. GP’s aren’t ’the NHS’ they get paid for a contracted service for the NHS, they are a small business.

And a lot of people who ask for forms are low income, so much of it now like blue badge is free to access via the council, or you can submit letters you already have. This saves NHS time and also money for patients

Glad you have appealed to SENDIST. Sadly, many have to appeal. The majority are successful.

In case it is relevant in the future, you could have appeal B&F when the EHCP was finalised naming the SS. That wouldn’t have prevented DS starting the SS when he did.

I think you’re missing the point. You and your child have been incredibly unlucky because he has a significant disability. Because you live in a civilised society (yes, really!) the State helps to cover some of the costs arising from your bad luck. It also provides some free services but those services are provided on the basis of their (in this case the NHS’s) criteria. You - and indeed I - might not agree that your son does not need OT/SALT but the NHS gets to decide where its resources are used and has apparently said that your son has received enough. We don’t know the reason why and I’m not going to speculate.

If you want more you have to pay for it. If that is the priority then maybe you can’t also afford the GP letter that will improve your chances of getting a blue badge. If it’s any consolation almost all parents are making the same assessment - do I spend money on (a) or (b) because I don’t have it for both. That is simply parenting, and not exclusive to parenting a disabled child. Your circumstances are starker and the State does try to help with/compensate for that.

But in stark terms, no one else, including your Dr, is obliged to do so. I think it is testament to how generous professionals generally are with their time that you seem to feel they are obliged to give you freebies and it’s shocking that they won’t. I’m also quite sure that if they could find the time they still would.

Some really unpleasant replies on here, completely unnecessary. Seems to be a common theme across mumsnet. I bet it would be different in real life. I’m sorry you’re struggling OP, it sounds tough.

It takes just as much time whether for what you deem a “frivolous” reason or not.

The fee isn’t a value judgement on the content of the letter. It’s to compensate for their time and expertise.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/blue-badge-can-i-get-one/can-i-get-a-blue-badge#people-who-automatically-get-a-blue-badge. 
It’s different for PIP, but the OP’s child is 5 and would be eligible for DLA, rather than PIP.
Sorry you had so much trouble getting a blue badge sorted. They really are so important.

@GPlettercharge rather than get a GP letter, are you able to send a copy of a consultants letter or diagnostic report instead? It’s what I’ve done for the blue badge application (and exam accommodations, DSA and PIP applications). They usually just need evidence that the disability you reference is real, they don’t necessarily need a GP letter?

Blue badges aren't always automatic with high rate mobility.

My DD gets the "wrong" bit of HRM to qualify automatically here, she had to apply and then appeal for her BB.

Why? because you asked someone to do work for you that they wanted a small payment for?

It could also be an opportunity.

If you have a new Reform councillor get in quick and describe the problems under the previous regime and point out how they can quickly demonstrate how much better Reform will be (even if you have to grit your teeth for a photo op).

If its one of the usual parties get them to fight your corner against Reform to demonstrate how much worse it is under Reform (which may also require teeth gritting for a photo op).

Play them at their own game.

It sucks, especially as families with disabled children are often disadvantaged financially due to the hard cash cost of raising a disabled child.

Round here it's so common for even GP supporting evidence to be ignored that our practice won't provide letters even if you pay.

Not for blue badges or PIP or DLA.

The only time they will is if the DWP contact them, which generally only happens at appeals stage when the tribunal will ask for evidence.

What are you shocked by? That trained professionals being asked to give their opinion are paid for it? Why shouldn’t they be? I work in a different professional field and the amount of clients who expect all sorts of extras free is infuriating. Current best one is a client who has caused additional work of more than 4x the fee quote and feels they shouldn’t pay for any of it (we haven’t charged them even twice the amount of original estimate despite them now having had 5x the work). It additionally sticks in my craw because I do a great deal of pro bono work for those who genuinely need it, as I’m sure do most Drs. And then when we say “sorry, can’t do this for free” people are shocked? That’s a real kick in the pants.

If the NHS doesn’t pay then you don’t have it or you pay. Why should the Dr effectively pay? It’s not shocking. Your situation sounds really tough, but if the State isn’t prepared to shelter you from this aspect of that (and maybe it should be), why should a private individual who already likely contributes significantly to the national coffers in tax do so?

I’m sorry to sound harsh, because I am sympathetic, but I’m truly appalled (though not shocked) that you expect someone to provide the skills they use to earn their livelihood for free because your life is tough. The answer is if they do you should be incredibly grateful but it shouldn’t be an expectation - which your shock suggests it is.

Indeed… but they are judged by how much goodwill and empathy they show their vulnerable patients. Hence my feeling the GPs at my surgery are ‘good’.

/s