AIBU, school letter

[Giddypants]

AIBU to not pay a £50 (which I can't afford) GP letter that says my child has food allergies?
DS2 started reception on Tuesday, school have said they can't give any lunch except a baked potato until I have filled in the school dinners form which asks about food intolerances, allergies, or sensitivity.
On the front of the letter it asks for proof of allergies from his GP.
I have rang the GP for a letter, which he informed me he would have to charge me £50 for said letter.
DS has a nut especially peanut allergy and has a small reaction to tuna.
The school has a no nut policy anyway.
He doesn't like tuna and won't entertain it, so there is quite minimal risk that he would come into contact with any allergens.
I understand why the school need to be informed, but why isn't my word good enough? after all I've told the GP what he is allergic too and they have in record from what I have told them.

That's extortionate and very unfair. If the OP's child is KS1 then why should she miss out on the free lunches for the sake of a letter? I think it's appalling that the GP would charge this much.

The school meals service require the proof for the reasons PP have stated above, I understand they need to have the proof, but for the GP to charge anything for the letter I think is appalling - it's the NHS and it's for a child. We have just been through this exact situation, the GP wanted to charge £14 and I was so I called DS's dietitian and she did a letter for free (not allergies but specific diet), and also sent me my own copy. If she can do it for free (which was fantastic) then why can't the GP?

Do you have a dietitian? I hope you get it sorted OP.

Sorry if someone has already asked, but have you looked at having allergy test done privately? We had to wait 3 months for a skin prick test!

frizzymcfrizzface as I've already said, when we do letters for free we are overwheled by numbers. Are you happy for there to be less appts at your practice as the GPs are each spending over an hour a day doing letters?

frizzy, if the child has proper diagnosis, they normally have official letter or results from dr stating the allergy in detail. I only had to give copy of this to school. No need to ask for GP's letter.

The dietician chose to do it for free. She didn't need to though.

Generally when your child has an official diagnosis of something it is easy to provide proof because you have file upon file lots of letters that show what the problem is and what treatment is needed.

The main issue here is that the OPs son has never had his allergies officially confirmed which makes it harder to provide the evidence that is understandably needed

That's extortionate and very unfair. If the OP's child is KS1 then why should she miss out on the free lunches for the sake of a letter?

It's not extortionate and its what it costs. If the child misses a year of free lunches for the sake of 50 quid, that is no-one but the parents fault. How much will a year of lunch cost? More than 50 pounds I reckon!

Doesn't sound like he even has a diagnosed allergy anyway, so the school are correct to want some formal documentation.

At my GPs and I presume others nationwide - you can register for online access, which includes your records. If you do this, there is a section which comes up with a list of pre-existing conditions. You could screen shot this and give it to the school, all the information from an official source but for free (I'd block out anything the school doesn't need to see).

Well she couldn't, since he doesn't have a diagnosis and it wouldn;t be under pre-exisiting conditions.