GP charging for blue badge letter - disabled child

[GPlettercharge]

Just checking if this is usual practice to be charged for a GP to write a supporting letter for a blue badge application for a disabled child?

My child is 5, has profound learning difficulties and ASD. Is non verbal and attends specialist school. Displays many challenging behaviours and has no sense of danger. Regularly refuses to walk and can also try to run into the road etc.

Our local authority are notoriously difficult in giving out blue badges and I was advised by his specialist school to get a supporting letter from the GP to apply for a blue badge as they’ve seen first hand how dangerous he is in a car park.

Our GP had an appt with him and has agreed to write the letter. However they have charged £40 for this.

Is this standard? It seems excessive, it’s not as though we’ve asked for a letter to support us going on holiday or something. This is for a disabled child!

I suppose I will pay it if necessary but wanted to check if this was the norm.

Thanks

yes. I am sorry to hear that

Pretty much a standard charge for non NHS work. GP’s are not paid by NHS Contracts for providing letters, medical reports etc such as this.

Yes, this is the norm. This is outside of their clinical work and so they charge for it. Some GPs surgeries may choose to waive in some circumstances, but they get asked for so many (and the letter takes more time than just writing it: they have to open records, research, ensure that what they're saying is accurate and defensible) it would be unfair to charge some people and not others. Because everyone who asks for a letter clearly requires it, so to be fair they should charge everyone or nobody.

We just sent in copies of most recent medical correspondence from professionals involved which sufficed. No involvement from GP.

It's standard, I'm afraid. You can get a summary care record free of charge, but an actual letter is outside the GP contract and so it's chargeable.

I am afraid it is. I would have just send EHCP, paed reports etc. Surely that should have been sufficient. I never go via GP for such things (both DC have SN).

Apparently this is not sufficient with our local authority and they turn almost everyone down. Was trying to avoid a pain of going back and forth as we seem to do with everything to do with my son’s disability.

Im still scarred from the battle of the EHCP and getting him into a specialist school

Fair enough. Seems as though I’m being unreasonable and will have to suck up the charge.

Im just shocked by this. Although I shouldn’t be considering how hard every single aspect of his life is

Have a word with your local or county councillor. A bit of pressure can help.

this.

You are paying them to do work for you. Unfair to ask them to work for free.

I think it's normal to GP's to charge for writing letters. My local council is also very reluctant to issue blue cards too. My foster son scored 12 points on mobility section on can't plan a journey or travel independently but they refused him a blue card despite others on his college course getting one with same points for same section on planning journeys only difference local council. It means I have to park almost 1/2 a mile away then walk with him to reception of his college. If he had the blue card I could drop him in back carpark and just walk him 50 meters into college reception. Only allowed into college car park if have a valid blue card. It's really frustrating especially in the winter when it's icy. I only want to be in the college car park for about 5 minutes twice a day.

In my LA, highest rate mobility of DLA/PIP is enough; or medical evidence.

I am not a lawyer, but it seems to me, your LA is treating disabled people unfavourably compared to other LAs. Could it be disability discrimination?

this is normal op

Yes it’s Kent and they’re known for it.

They lose 99% of appeals and tribunals and they don’t care.

My son’s EHCP was hugely delayed and missed numerous statutory deadlines and they still don’t care. They don’t answer emails or the phone and there’s simply no consequences.

Reform have just been voted in so it’s about to get a million times worse

I completely get that it’s normal for them to charge for letters and I would have no issues paying if it was for a frivolous reason eg a holiday.

This is not frivolous though - this is his life. We actively have to opt out of going places and doing things if there’s any risks with parking.

It’s just yet another thing we’re penalised for.

Do you not get DLA or the equivalent for him? If so that’s what the payment is for.

This. I’m surprised it’s even a question.

It's a different department for EHCPs and blue badges so you never know. I had the same experience as you with EHCP (different county) but blue badge was surprisingly straightforward. Since there's no cost to doing the blue badge application and it's quite an easy form, I would submit it without the doctors letter (include EHCP and diagnosis letters etc). If it's rejected, try again with a GP letter. It is worth fighting for, I've bern surprised by what a big difference it's made to us being able to park in disabled spaces - has made it possible to do things we just wouldn't have been able to otherwise

Yes we do.

Ah yes good job that has us rolling in it eh!

Do you really need to add this? The question has been answered numerous times and I’ve said I understand and will pay!

FFS

I don't think you need a specific supporting letter. I just scan or print out a letter that the hospital has sent to my GP regarding my disabilities and that does the trick.

It’s exactly what he gets the money for, the payments are to be allocated to the child and what ever he needs!

He needs the blue badge so use the money to pay for it!

Thank you.

It’s just the constant fight isn’t it. All the time. I’m so tired and frankly sick of how hard everything is.

Well you're not supposed to be in profit at the end of the payments so no need to make shitty comments to posters pointing out the obvious, the payments are there to help towards these sort of expenses. TBH you are coming across badly in this thread.