NHS refusing treatment to child who attends private school.

[floralcarpets]

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/boy-denied-treatment-nhs-hospital-private-school-kingston-richmond-b1231805.html

AIBU to think this is disgraceful? The mum is likely paying loads of tax which goes towards the NHS and pays for state schools, yet her child is this treatment which they sound like they desperately need.

Such a non story! She can’t access a commissioned school service for state schools but she can access it via GP referral!

I work for a virtual school and we commission lots of services from our budget including mentoring, tuition, ed psych assessments, art/play therapy and more - it’s only for OUR kids even though they will be in state schools.

No, we could not go to our GP. Or rather we did, and they said nothing to do with them - all the responsibility of the council’s children’s services department who arranged specialist services via the councils schools.

We’re solicitors and checked the regs - they were right, completely stitched up. Thought of retraining as a specialist education lawyer but I think I’d find it too frustrating.

Oh dear - that was supposed to quote the poster who said we could have gone to our GP (not quote my own post!)

OT services are not all the same. You can access OT through CAHMS if it would be useful. But you'd only get this if you were open to CAHMS and it was felt to be beneficial. If you needed OT for a different reason, you'd get it via a different route and it would address different issues.

Commissioned services can feel very unfair. A mental health charity could be commissioned to provide targeted support. So if you live in a particular post-code area, you might get fast-tracked over someone with equal need but a different post-code. The agreements are very specific about what services are being delivered and who to.

When my son got tutored at home, he received OT and physio at home too. This was because he wasn't quite well enough to be in school after a hospital stay though, not because he was home educated.

I think it's outrageous. Presumably the parents pay tax, contribute to the NHS so the family is entitled to treatment the same as anyone else.

Yabu for only reading the headline and not the article and then spreading misinformation online

This is not a new thing. My DD was able to access clinic based help for dyspraxia but the OT wouldn't do a school visit as she was at a private school and this was about 15 years ago.

Which they can access via their GP

`they are but only via NHS provided services, not through LEA provided services

https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/occupational-therapy/

Yiu should have gone to a different GP

They need to go through the NHS such as a referral from their GP as they have opted out of their LA providing anything for their child and they can't have it both ways.

I’ve asked MN to edit the title, OP. It’s so misleading as to amount to misinformation. Nobody is being denied NHS treatment, as your linked article clearly says, but people are still joining the thread thinking they are.

The LEA is not responsible for privately educated pupils, hence they have to pay.

LEAs are not responsible for the education of privately or home educated pupils. They are still responsible for the children in other respects including child protection, providing young carer services to any young carers in private school, immunisations, public health services, library services…. And the NHS have a duty towards all children.

Which they can access via their GP

No, they have opted out of the LEA providing education for their child.

No the child hasn’t!. OT is only available in schools to children that have EHCP’s which this child doesn’t. He was referred to the school service which won’t see him without one! With the correct referral he will be seen! This is the most badly reported story as it’s only half a story but don’t let that spoil your narrative!

Library services?

The services also can include OT, physio etc but only at state schools which they have opted out of.

Her son can still have OT, it will just have to be a different way because they have opted out of it.

I can't believe how outraged you became from reading a title and believing it this is how misinformation gets spread around

You can be referred to SALT via your GP and if takennon caseload would be seen in clinic. We gave children with EHCPs in school who have a termly visit funded via their EHCP

It's OT, FFS. Hardly emergency brain surgery 🙄

I was going to use the example of a school library and say "you wouldn't expect the LEA to provide the school library at a private school." But apparently there is a PP who does expect that.

You pays your money, you takes your choice- there are often little extras not included in school fees that you have to pay for. You've opted out of LEA services, so I don't see why anyone would think they can opt back to little bits that suit them.

Good god.

This thread is like cancel the cheque all over again.

Today’s friendly reminder that newspapers (of all ilks) twist stories to fit their narrative and people should read the facts before becoming outraged…