for having to pay the doctor?

[LouIsOnAHighwayToHell]

I had to have a medical done for a job application. All that was required from the Doctor was to do my BP, test my refelxes, listen to my lungs and heart, push and prod here for a bit and take some blood. Oh and stamp her name on a form. It took her all of 15 minutes to do this.
This cost me the grand sum of £120!!
Now I pay tax, rarly go to the doctor and am fit and healthy so I fail to see why I should have to pay so much for such a basic service?

None medical need so it should be paid for. OP I think you've got the message so no need for further ranting at you .

I do think it should be the employer that pays if it is a requirement of the job, and that's whether you get the job or not. In fact they should definitely pay if you don't get it.

Lots of companies will pay travel expences to interview to encourage applicants (this may not happen in todays jobs market, but I've been stuck in a rut in the same job for over 8 years now)

The employer should either pay your medical bill or provide their own doctor to perform the necessary tests - it's for their benefit/insurance.

you required a clinical assessment,that was undertaken.gp are self employed and she provided a service which you required.the gp incurs cost of
running a practice,
staff salary
utilities bills
building maintenance
rent
telephone bills
etc

the charges dont seem excessive to me. pricing is set by bma

and good luck with job. do ask if they reimburse

lou, instead of complaing about having to pay 120 pounds for this, perhaps you should be praising the nhs for providing you with free medical treatment when you and your children need it. imagine having to fork over that sum of money when you have a sick child.
your post is an perfect example of why we should all be so grateful for a working nhs, even with all its problems, its waiting lists, etc etc etc.

two years a levels and massive competition to get into medical school
five years at medschool
three years or so in hopsital training
three years training as a gp.

thats thirteen years of training, before she or he can do what you ahve described as 'just'.

The job I am goig for is to get back into the ambulance service and become a paramedic. Yes it is only three years to training to become a basic level paramedic and for that I will have to deal with all sorts of problems (abuse, violence, potential injury etc) and for that I would earn at the top level the grand amount of £20000/year.

Also why should the employer fund the test. I have to have a C1 license to apply and that will cost me around £1000 to get. Should the employer pay for that BEFORE I even get an interview? No I think not.

Also I pay NI etc. I have no children or other dependents. I do not smoke, have an self inflicted disease or illness that costs the NHS a lot of money. Money that would be spent on more important things.

I do not begrudge the cost now that I know more.

Employer sounds shonky. They should be offering the job to the successful candidate subject to medical pass, as tott says.

They should be paying for the medical as part of their recruitment process.

Not for the NHS to pay for employers criteria. What if loads of employers started asking for full blood works, resting and exercising heart thingys, CAT scan, full medical questionnaire, psychological exam etc etc etc. no reason I should have to pay for it. NHS is there to treat people/preventative medicine.

So is it a job you have applied for, or training? Training on the job?

Training things people normally pay out of their own pocket I think, unless they have an employer lucky enough to stump up.

If a job requires a driving licence, or specialised driving licence, then that is down to the individual to sort out. Again, unless they are lucky enough to have an employer who will pay.

Would you expect the DVLA to pay for your £1000 C1 licence as it is something you need for work?

You should pay for it as it's not a medical necessity, but the charge was excessive. A medical from BUPA (or the like) with far more tests/time with doctor/mammogram/health tests etc would be far better value - more expensive but offering far more. Alternatively a cheap day return on the Eurostar or ferry would get you a French or Belgian GP who would probably do the prodding and stamping in for the standard mutuelle 25 euros ish charge plus you might pay another 20 odd for the lab tests...plus you could get a cheap crate of wine on the way home (to drink after the liver function gamma test!).

really??

Yes it's £287 (I luckily get a free one every two years) - but that includes a whole gamut of blood tests, wee tests, ECG, time with nurse (eye test, hearing test in proper audiocloset thing, weight and body fat test), then proper long consultation with doctor after the initial test results are back. Oh and the lab costs of processing all those tests.

Compare that with what the OP had - a quick prod around, listen with stethoscope, and a few basic bloods - the kind of thing my GP in Brussels did do once when the Commission offered me a temporary contract (before I was an official) - for her normal mutuelle fee of 20 euros at the time.

No I don't work for Bupa - but i reckon if you want a proper medical then pay their fee, and if you want a quick prod about hop on the ferry. The NHS 'medical' fee is a rip off.

Ummmmm I might just point out that if a BUPA medical picks up THE SLIGHTEST abnormality, they tell you to go see your GP and do not pick up the pieces unless you can then afford to see an expensive specialist!

I get about 2-3/ month of these, usually rubbish, but they wont sort out unless paid mucho cash, so the NHS picks up the pieces!!

I might also point out that 90% of those tests are not neccesary or indicated a spart of a routine screening, and have low screening value anyway. If they are medically indicated for any reason then reasily and freely available on the NHS from your GP with proper follow up!

Don't kid yourself, BUPA is a big business and just after money from the worried (wealthy) well!!

I'm just comparing the cost/time input and information derived from the two different medicals. Nobody here has suggested that the OP doesn't have a right to NHS treatment should any medical condition be detected, whether by Bupa or the quick private prod about by the normal GP.

And Bupa is indeed big business - I certainly wouldn't dispute that - I'm just comparing the relative prices charged for two rather different products.

As I say, if you want a non rip-off charge for a quick prod and stethoscope then try my GP in Brussels (or indeed as someone has suggested most private GPs here would probably do it within their £30-60 charge (depending on area).