GPs charging victims of domestic abuse for letters.

[HelenaDove]

WTF I knew they charged for letters for other stuff but not this.

blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2018/05/04/katie-ghose-gps-should-stop-charging-victims-of-domestic-abuse-for-information/

Christ on a bike. That's shocking.

Its another obstacle women ( trying to leave their abuser) will have to jump then.

Actually im not surprised having seen the attitudes women with birth injuries came up against in the recent pinned thread/campaign.

That’s so wrong. Doing what they can to help protect a patient from domestic abuse is surely part of the GP’s role? Ie it will benefit their physical and mental health?

I'd really love to hear how GPs rationalise this.

Paying higher taxes to fund the NHS properly, and then make this actually NHS work, might well be. Though it would take (pauses to count on fingers) 10 years for the new GPs to come out the other end of training.

And yes, I consistently vote according to who proposes higher taxes to properly fund health and education.

The actual question is why do women need a GP letter to confirm that they are a DV victim, rather than just being able to state this themselves. Given that in many cases the woman won't have told her GP about it before, so will go in, state this and the GP will write what she says in a letter. Why not let women simply state this to the authorities instead, rather than involve the GP?

The reason that GPs charge is that a GP practice is a private business with a contract with the NHS. The contract lists some services that the GP has to provide, and writing these letters is not on the list. If the government want GPs to provide these letters without charge to the patient, they need to negotiate to include it on the contract and fund this.

GPs are drowning in their core NHS work and there is a huge recruitment crisis, doctors just don't want to become or stay GPs. Many GPs don't want to be doing extra work for free as they are already working flat out all day and leaving late.

Would you expect a Solicitor to provide letters for free?

Wow, I did not know they were doing this.
Why couldn't legal aid, housing, etc, accept confirmation letters from Women's Aid? After all, many women would have seen WA, particularly for guidance for where to go next.

Does the solicitor using the letter provide their services for free or do they get reimbursed?

My gp refused to write a letter in support of me trying to get legal aid because she thought it should be reserved for victims of "real" domestic abuse who have "actual injuries"

When I was 16 my GP charged the police £200 for a letter about sexual abuse I suffered whilst a child/patient with them. I know it was the police being charged, but it made me feel very differently about my GP at that age.

This is complicated and tricky. This is not a new thing either, it has been happening since legal aid went.

LMC have instructed GPs to charge/refuse to write letters re DA or for benefits because there is a sense that their role should not include administrating welfare/justice issues, they are doctors and the burden of having appointments taken up by people basically requesting admin is high during a time were there are huge supply/demand issues.

Re legal aid the government have now widened the evidence categories so WA etc can supply evidence.

I don’t think GPs were ever consulted re this admin role and I’m pretty sure that the position of LMCs that there should be charges/should not be done at all has helped the govt to reconsider the role of WA TBH.

The real culprits are the Tories who put women and GPs in conflict in the first place IMO.

This is the current situation re evidence.

In my experience being charged for a GP letter it would seem that it's often the practice manager making these decisions not necessarily your own GP.

The link that Offred provided shows that other bodies / people are also allowed to provide the letter

“the courts
the police
a multi-agency risk assessment conference (MARAC)
social services
a health professional, eg a doctor, nurse, midwife, psychologist or health visitor
a refuge manager
a domestic violence support service
your bank, eg credit card accounts, loan documents and statements
your employer, or education or training provider
the provider of any benefits you’ve received”

That said, I think the state should pay for GPs to write these letters if they are made aware of DV suffered by one of their patients.

Surely this should be more widely discussed. If the government was able to react to the premium rate phone numbers for job seekers and make the calls free, they should be able to waive the fees for helping the most vulnerable people in our society - women & children facing domestic abuse

I sympathised with Romario when he asked when you can stop being trans and just "be" the gender you want.
The problem with being trans is you can't. Because you are biologically a different gender to the one you want to be life is one long game of dressing up. Hence the ultra femininity and always worried about passing of the 2 transwomen.
I'd love to see being a feminine bloke become more acceptable, not camp as that's a different game with different rules that also seems artificial.

Wrong thread sorry

Does the solicitor using the letter provide their services for free or do they get reimbursed?

If you're happy with the short answer - no, they don't get reimbursed.

I don't know how the solicitors can afford to work then if no-one's paying them. Legal aid? Charities?

Ha - nor do many legal aid solicitors - the numbers get fewer by the day.

Read the Secret Barrister's book for the longer answer - that and the legal aid agency's guidance on legal help and aid. [shudder]

It sounds like a bad situation all round.

well, if you're interested, read the book - www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1509841105?tag=mumsnetforum-21. Its got good reviews.

Disgusting.

Thanks for the suggestion, I had heard of it on Twitter. I don't know when I'd have time to read it what with working full time and being expected to do endless letters and other documents in my own, non-NHS, time.