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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Since when did you have to pay to see NHS GP?!!

149 replies

SpecialOPs · 09/02/2023 13:08

Dd was a passenger in a car at the weekend which was rear ended at traffic lights.

She was fine at first then got symptoms of whiplash and has very painful shoulder, neck and headache. She works at a PC and it's agony to sit in her chair so has had to take most of this week off.

Rang GP this morning to see if she could get some stronger pain meds and a note saying she should WFH next week rather than travel into London.

Receptionist said she needed to pay £23.50 before a GP would speak to her! DD said that can't be right, receptionist insisted so DD said she wouldn't pay it. I rang back later and it was confirmed,

Apparently this is because they will be the first to see her after an RTA? I said would A&E have refused to treat her until she'd paid then if she'd been rushed there with more serious injuries? She said she didn't know.

AIBU to think this is an outrage!

OP posts:
Tirednest · 09/02/2023 13:10

It'll be for the note probably

007DoubleOSeven · 09/02/2023 13:10

Yanbu
Are they classing it as an insurance appointment which might fall under their private services?

BankOfDave · 09/02/2023 13:11

You don’t have to pay to see a GP. Is it possible this has got lost in translation and the receptionist thinks you are seeking a private letter from the GP - which they have always charged for.

LumpyandBumps · 09/02/2023 13:11

That seems strange.
I have heard of people involved in RTA’s being sent a bill for being transported by ambulance, but that was ages ago, and I think only pursued if there was an insurance claim.

RosaDeInvierno · 09/02/2023 13:12

It will be for the letter

007DoubleOSeven · 09/02/2023 13:12

I would get an appt without mentioning accident til she's been seen. Just present the symptoms and fudge a response if pressed for more details by the receptionist. She'll still need to pay for the note, but they can't hold her to ransom for medical care.

MooseAndSquirrelLoveFlannel · 09/02/2023 13:13

That sounds like a private appt. Our GP charges for them if you may use it as evidence for an insurance RTC claim.

Mindymomo · 09/02/2023 13:13

GP charges for writing sick notes, without seeing person, this isn’t new.

Sucessinthenewyear · 09/02/2023 13:14

Did she ask for a letter or a fit note? Fit notes are free a GP letter has always been chargeable.

Twentywisteria · 09/02/2023 13:15

"Whiplash" is code for "insurance claim". Receptionist probably thought you wanted a private medical assessment for that.

Original poster
SpecialOPs · 09/02/2023 13:15

I thought that at first that receptionist must have misunderstood which is why I rang back.

Explained very clearly why she wanted a telephone appointment and receptionist insisted she had to pay!

(DD was number 37 in queue this morning and it was wasted time, I was number 1 in the queue and it still took 20 minutes for them to answer the call. They are an absolute disgrace)

OP posts:
YukoandHiro · 09/02/2023 13:16

It's for the letter

Twentywisteria · 09/02/2023 13:16

SpecialOPs · 09/02/2023 13:15

I thought that at first that receptionist must have misunderstood which is why I rang back.

Explained very clearly why she wanted a telephone appointment and receptionist insisted she had to pay!

(DD was number 37 in queue this morning and it was wasted time, I was number 1 in the queue and it still took 20 minutes for them to answer the call. They are an absolute disgrace)

Sorry, "they are an absolute disgrace" because there are too many people calling up for appointments?

Dramatic much.

Buy some OTC cocodamol and stop being so OTT.

ZeroFuchsGiven · 09/02/2023 13:16

As others have said, its for the letter

BurtonsRevenge · 09/02/2023 13:17

Er . It's for the note. It's what dd led with when she spoke to receptionist.

NotAnotherBathBomb · 09/02/2023 13:18

Another one chiming in that it's for the note. It will be because it's less than 7 days.

NotAnotherBathBomb · 09/02/2023 13:18

Meant to post this with my comment

Since when did you have to pay to see NHS GP?!!
MissMaple82 · 09/02/2023 13:18

Tirednest · 09/02/2023 13:10

It'll be for the note probably

No, it that's needed is a fit note with recommendations.

RipWheelersHat · 09/02/2023 13:19

Yes they would charge to provide a sick note for her

Is there going to be any kind of insurance claim? After my car crash last year I was taken to hospital and treated there and saw my GP a few times. I also had to be seen and assessed by a private GP for the insurance claim, and had to provide proof of being seen at all appointments. So may be best for her to document everything

MissMaple82 · 09/02/2023 13:20

It's not for the notes, Dr's don't actually write notes like that. A fit for work note can have recommendations for alternative work on, you don't pay for fit notes

StopGo · 09/02/2023 13:20

Emergency treatment under the Road Traffic Act

Under the Road Traffic Act 1988, the first doctor to provide emergency treatment to the victim of a road traffic accident is generally entitled to charge a fee of £21.30 in respect of each person treated (Section 158(2).

Since 1999 the ability to levy a fee under S158 of the Road Traffic Act, has been limited to claims by doctors not working in NHS hospitals, as the cost of hospital treatment is recovered from insurers directly by the NHS.

The fee can be levied even if the person driving the vehicle at the time of the accident is on the GP’s NHS list.

RipWheelersHat · 09/02/2023 13:21

Although I have to say there have been massive reforms of how whiplash claims are dealt with now. I had it awfully for about 6 months and the whiplash portion of my claim was £500

museumum · 09/02/2023 13:26

She should be able to self-cert sickness for a certain number of days. Otherwise GPs would be even more overwhelmed. Get her to check her work policy and self-cert if she's not been off any days yet (OP reads like she hasn't).

museumum · 09/02/2023 13:27

For the pain, see a pharmacist in the first instance. They can maybe offer a collar (I found one a great relief when i got it)

Original poster
SpecialOPs · 09/02/2023 13:31

IT IS NOT FOR THE FIT NOTE!

OP posts: