£20 for Doctor to sign a letter.......

[Bertieboy]

What a disgrace!! Asked the Doctor to sign a claims form after having to leave our two dogs in kennels whilst my wife was in hospital. Average Doctors salary £80,000 a year. Kick a person when their down or what!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Westward]

The Doctors up here are a downright disgrace..they've got it made in every way possible and yet they treat their patients with contempt, it is disgusting altogether.

[viking]

Why not just claim the £20 back as well?

[pig whisperer]

Happy with our Doctors at Canisbay surgery, you can get an appointment quickly, you don't have to struggle to get past the receptionist& all the staff are friendly, my Mother lives in small village in Northamptonshire where the Drs surgery has a snappy receptionist & to see the best Dr [ who actually originates from Castletown] means you have a wait, tho of course if you really need to see a Dr quickly its pot luck

[JSutherland-West]

Like your self pig whisperer I have no issues with my Doctors in Castletown quick appointments and all the staff always happy to help.

[orkneycadian]

Why all the fuss? Claims on pet insurance (and I am guessing that this is what is in relation to - Please accept my apologies and correct me if I am wrong) are well beyond the remit of the NHS, so are a commercial matter between you, your insurance company, the kennels and the doctor. The doctor will not get re-imbursed by the NHS for his or her time, so why should they do it for free?

1 dog, let alone 2 is hardly essential for life, and like many other of lifes luxuries, cost money.

If they were guide dogs, I could maybe be a bit more sympathetic to your gripe. Please correct me if they are.

[viking]

Why all the fuss? Claims on pet insurance (and I am guessing that this is what is in relation to - Please accept my apologies and correct me if I am wrong) are well beyond the remit of the NHS, so are a commercial matter between you, your insurance company, the kennels and the doctor. The doctor will not get re-imbursed by the NHS for his or her time, so why should they do it for free?1 dog, let alone 2 is hardly essential for life, and like many other of lifes luxuries, cost money.If they were guide dogs, I could maybe be a bit more sympathetic to your gripe. Please correct me if they are.

Well Said. Regardless or not of how much GP's are paid, this is not in their remit.

[golach]

Common practice for GP's to charge to sign claims , just add it to your claim

[Dadie]

£20 seems to be the standard charge for Doctor letters (passport photos/outwith medical appt letters etc).
Suppose its the same for insurance claim letters ...unless there is a lot of paperwork involved (then it would (I assume) cost more).
Probably only covers the admin cost....if that!
Surprised it is still only £20 though as I would have thought the price would have increased since I asked when I had to have passport photos verified 10 years ago(though got someone else to do them in the end)!

[mi16]

£20 doesnt seem excessive to me, I would be less than amused if my tax was being frittered away by doctors signing claim forms for insurance companies all day.

[Joefitz]

Don't feel bad, I was in hospital here in the USA a few years ago, and each day, a little Asian fellow came in, said :Good Morning", and left. When I got the bill, There was a daily $420:00 fee for Dr. Chandrak. When I asked who this guy was, I was told he was the head of the physical therapy department, checking on how my therapy was going. Other than a morning greeting, the man never spoke once, and that portion of the bill remains unpaid to this day.......Incidentally, 81 mg. aspirin were billed at $12:00 each!

[Alrock]

What... 5 mins work max, so at £20 a pop that equates to £240 per hour, maybe a tad excessive.

[golach]

What... 5 mins work max, so at £20 a pop that equates to £240 per hour, maybe a tad excessive.

Doctors are not signing letters every hour, they are more likely to be signing sick lines and prescriptions for nothing.

[Alrock]

Doctors are not signing letters every hour, they are more likely to be signing sick lines and prescriptions for nothing.

I didn't say they were (though if they could, they'd be making £500,000 per year easily), their salary covers them for doing such things, this is just extra money on top of that & they obviously value their time at £240 per hour.

[mi16]

I didn't say they were (though if they could, they'd be making £500,000 per year easily), their salary covers them for doing such things, this is just extra money on top of that & they obviously value their time at £240 per hour.

Is it part of a GP's job description to be filling in paperwork for insurance claims which are nothing to do with the NHS?
I very much doubt it.
If they value their time at £240 of even £500 an hour then so be it, if you dont want to pay it then dont ask for the letter to be signed.
Simple really, so long as they are not charging the NHS for the signings then that is fine with me.

[Alrock]

Is it part of a GP's job description to be filling in paperwork for insurance claims which are nothing to do with the NHS?
I very much doubt it.
If they value their time at £240 of even £500 an hour then so be it, if you dont want to pay it then dont ask for the letter to be signed.
Simple really, so long as they are not charging the NHS for the signings then that is fine with me.

Yes... That is their prerogative, still a bit excessive though in my view, the word "Greed" springs to mind here.

[mi16]

Yes... That is their prerogative, still a bit excessive though in my view, the word "Greed" springs to mind here.

Greed to you is probably defined as lucrative to them

[sids]

Yes... That is their prerogative, still a bit excessive though in my view, the word "Greed" springs to mind here.

Then try another doctor. Start a price-cutting war for your custom.

Or take it up with the insurer, who refuses to believe your story, without an expensive medical reference.

[golach]

Yes... That is their prerogative, still a bit excessive though in my view, the word "Greed" springs to mind here.

The word jealousy springs to mind here, Doctors are professionals , what would a solicitor charge you for a signature?

[billmoseley]

I have no worries about having to pay for documents to be signed and as someone said it's common practice. What i would like to know does the money go to the Doctor or into Practice funds?