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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not want to pay this charge....

39 replies

Hawkeyelisa · 28/01/2010 09:24

Hi everyone,
my dd#1 aged 8 has had an ingrown toenail since Sep 09. She has not been able to do PE or swim while the toe was very infected and inflamed. I have informed the school in writing of this.
She had an operation to correct it in late December 09 and it is finally getting better - hurray!
I was collared in the playground yesterday by her teacher and told that I need a "Letter from the doctor" to say why she still can't do PE etc. I asked the doctor and he wasnt happy, but he did a letter.
However, he charged me £14.50!
I have taken it to the headmistress today and she just shrugged and said "It's a legal requirement as she has been absent from PE for so long" and she is refusing to refund me the money for the letter SHE requested.
AIBU? I don't have to pay for this do I?
I have left the headmistress to phone to doctor, so they can sort it out between them. I am caught in the middle of this grrr
Tell me I'm not going totally bonkers....
Lisa.

OP posts:
thesecondcoming · 28/01/2010 09:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WashwithCare · 28/01/2010 09:30

hm... I'm not sure - doctors often charge for letters don't they? It's not really your doctor's fault,so I dont' see why he should have to sort it out with the school? GPs are a self-employed business, and you've contracted his service. It's not really any different from going into Tesco and buying something off them...

Is it really a statuory requirement? It sounds a bit ott this time..

Maybe put it down to experience and pay this time, but if you ever need something like this again, just write to the school, explaining the situation, and asking them to pay the fee up front if they require proof?

HallelujahHeisBorntoMary · 28/01/2010 09:31

Did the Dr tell you before he wrote it that it was going to cost that? If not, then YANBU. But I don't really think you can expect the school to pay for it - or even that they will. You're probably going to have to stump up.

honeybehappy · 28/01/2010 09:31

YABU

WashwithCare · 28/01/2010 09:32

Yes - thinking it through... you should pehaps have just stuck your guns, not got the letter, but said she cna't do PE, but am happy to attend appointment with school nurse etc to discuss the issue...

ReneRusso · 28/01/2010 09:35

I think it is fairly common practice for GPs to charge for sickness letters. They don't get paid by the NHS for doing it, so they have to charge you. I'm not sure why the school should pay. It seems a bit unfair, but I think you have to pay it.

GypsyMoth · 28/01/2010 09:37

never heard of this before....parents word should be enough. do schools require letters from hospitals/gp for everything,even on going issues? no,a parents note/phone call has always been enough...ridiculous and you are NOT being unreasonable.

TheProvincialLady · 28/01/2010 09:40

As you requested the note from the GP you should pay the charge, as it is not his fault that your head teacher wants it.

I would ask for confirmation in writing that this note is a legal requirement, and I would like to know exactly which law.

Original poster
Hawkeyelisa · 28/01/2010 09:43

I had kept the school totally informed in writing.
No, my doctor did not tell me that there was going to be a charge before I picked it up last night.
She has only had two days of absence since Sep 09, when she had to go to hospital for her toe, none apart from that.
I am being charged because the school don't believe me.
I want my daughter to do PE, when she has had the dressing removed from her toe, not before. As soon as that is done and she is discharged from the minor casualty, that we have been attending three times each week since sep 09, I will be more than happy for her to do PE again. It is not safe for her to be on equipment for example and she physcially cant get plimsolls on with a huge dressing on her big toe.
Oh well, I'll just stamp my feet and put it down to "sh@t happens" ...

OP posts:
narna · 28/01/2010 09:48

I do see where you are coming from but i think its one of those things,we had to cancel a holiday last year as my DD had an ear infection and couldnt fly.
We had to get the GP to fill in the insurance form and they charged us for that but the insurance specifically said they wouldnt cover the charge.
I wasnt happy but there you go.

flowerybeanbag · 28/01/2010 09:48

You need to pay it, not the doctor's fault, however I agree ideally you should have refused the request for a letter from the doctor in the first place. You are the parent, surely it's up to you? Then if they said it was a legal requirement you could ask them to give you details of the law that says so. I'm dubious about that myself...

HallelujahHeisBorntoMary · 28/01/2010 09:50

Perhaps I'm lucky in that I've never been charged by my GP then. I'd query the fact with the GP that you should have been advised there was a charge before he did it.

But in future I wouldn't give into the school's demands for letters - if they want it, they pay for it. What can they do? Sue you?

StealthPolarBear · 28/01/2010 09:51

don't people who get free prescriptions (i.e. children) also get free letters? What if you actually couldn't afford it and that £15 was you food money for the week??
No idea of your situation OP, just thinking...

Original poster
Hawkeyelisa · 28/01/2010 09:53

When someone says "it's a legal requirement" then I usually go and do it, rather then refuse.
I will hopefully be speaking to the headmistress later today when she tells me how the discussion with the doctor went. I will ask her then for proof in writing.
She did say that she needed "medical evidence" that my dd#1 was unable to do PE. I told her that I would bring her into the office and take the dressing off to show her what an ingrown toenail looked like, but she said that wouldnt be necessary {wink].

OP posts:
TheCrackFox · 28/01/2010 09:53

I think you will have to pay this time but I would not get another GP's note again. There is bugger all the school can do if you say "no".

TheCrackFox · 28/01/2010 09:54

"legal requirement" my arse.

mice · 28/01/2010 10:24

I am surprised she still needs to do no PE after this length of time. It does not seem unreasonable for the school to ask for proof - they are looking at your daughters best interests too.

My son had one big nail fully removed and the other partially on 21st December following a very unpleasant infection, excessive bleeding and continual antibiotics which didn't work
He started back at PE fully this week and his dressings have been quite small after the initial few days when he looked like Mr Bump.
I have been keen for him to get back to normal asap - at the same time as not hindering his recovery.

The advice we had from the podiatry unit was no contact sport for 4 weeks - not no sport at all - and I found the same kind of advice online.

My son did plenty of tobogganing a few weeks back in the snow - which was possibly ill advised and at times painful - but doesn't seem to have set things back particularly.

I am a bit confused as to why the doctor was unhappy to write the note - is that because they see no harm in your daughter returning to PE?

Goodadvice1980 · 28/01/2010 10:26

Did you ask when you requested the letter if there would be a chrage??

Bit surprised you've been charged as it was for a child??

StayingDavidTennantsGirl · 28/01/2010 10:43

Mice - she's already said that her dd has a big bandage on her toe - too big to get plimsolls on.

It's great that your son is back to PE, but that doesn't mean that every child must be capable of doing PE within the same time frame as yours. Everyone's different.

DaftApeth · 28/01/2010 11:04

I would have probably asked the minor casualty unit for a note if you have been attending there 3 times/week. Especially as they would know the situation beter than your gp if he/she has not been over-seeing the on-going care of the toe.

mice · 28/01/2010 11:42

It is great that my son is getting back to normal.

What I am saying is - that the podiatrists and literature say that 4 weeks away from contact sport is advised - and in most cases the dressings would not be too large for a plimsole after a month. Obviously not everyone is the same - but - it is therefore not unfair of the school to ask for medical proof of the situation if it has gone on longer than what would normally be expected.

I sincerely hope your daughter is fully better very soon as you have my full sympathy - I have seen enough gore, puss, raw flesh etc etc in the last few weeks to last me a long time! I even have a photographic diary so I could see the progress he has made - I offer to show friends who have mostly declined for some reason though!

Original poster
Hawkeyelisa · 28/01/2010 12:32

The big dressing was taken off finally last night and she just has a big plaster on now.
As they do PE on a Thursday, I had a chat to DD last night and we decided that she could do PE next week, to give her the weekend to get used to wearing the plimsolls again.
BUT the school have never asked me how she is going on, or for any kind of progress report. She had her operation just over four weeks ago, so I don't think we have been milking this in any way, she has been in a lot of pain and discomfort, bless her.
All they do at school is try and pressurise her, every week, in front of the class, to do PE. They never ask me for an update, or how long it will be before she is able to do PE again.
It just grates on me that they are not concerned for her in any genuine way, but they are conforming to procedures in insisting on "medical opinion".
If I had asked the minor treatment unit for a letter, maybe I would not have had to pay, but the school specifically asked for a doctors letter, nothing less would do.
Thanks for the sympathy mice, I surely wouldnt wish it on my worst enemy...
Lisa.

OP posts:
thesecondcoming · 28/01/2010 14:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mice · 28/01/2010 16:51

It is a bit harsh that they don't seem concerned for her at all - that is where we have been very lucky. My son is older and at secondary school and his PE teacher had his nails removed so can sympathise which helps I think!

It sounds a simple thing (ingrown nail treatment) but having sat and watched while my son cried in pain through the injections (think big rugby playing 13 yr old) although he watched with gruesome interest as they rammed things under the nail and then pulled it off with pliers!! Lovely! (he fancies medicine as a career so not squeamish like his mum!) it really is quite nasty.

It will be much easier now she has the big dressing off and hopefully will be better v soon. My sons partial removal is fully healed now and the full one is almost scabbed over and we hope to be fully discharged next week - fingers crossed here as he goes skiing in two weeks!!

Have you had any luck getting the school to agree anything re the charge??

Mallenstreak · 28/01/2010 18:28

I sympathise. I have just had (2 hours ago)surgery to remove a monster ingrown toe-nail and it's really painful! Don't think I'll be doing anything energetic for a while either!

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