Money grabbing GPs

Portland

Portland

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Joined
Oct 31, 2013
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Location
Conwy
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MH
C class
Exp
20 years
We are flying back to Spain to continue our journey with the MH, June has to take injection needles with her, to do this she has to have a letter from her GP to go through customs.
I phoned our surgery to request said letter,
Confusion then set in but eventually they rang back to say they would but its only for the one journey and they charge £20 for doing it, I questioned this, explaining we are only hard up pensioners but it made no difference, they insisted on taking the money
 
Jimbohorlicks said:
Is it not on your prescriptions, that you require needles.? if your flying why don't you pack them in a suitcase so they go in the hold. Surely you wouldn't need them on a flight.
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We are only taking cabin bags.
 
Portland said:
... they charge £20 for doing it, I questioned this, explaining we are only hard up pensioners but it made no difference,
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Seems a bit of a cheek to charge but I doubt that the bit about being 'hard up pensioners' flying back to their motorhome in Spain to continue their tour helped your plea. ;)
 
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At the end of the day GP’s are self employed and their practices are a commercial business. Their contract with the NHS won’t provide for such provision of letters.

I am a member of a charity that I pay into every month and I can request such as physio if injured. My application needs a medical section completing and they provide a letter to give to the GP, nurse, physio etc explaining they are a charity and asking them not to charge me for the service. Whilst it would be nice, if I ever have the occasion to apply, not to be charged for the form completion but I fully appreciate I should really. It’s not part of the NHS arena.

My practice does go above and beyond providing their contracted services, but I think I would get charged for your letter.
 
Portland said:
We are only taking cabin bags.
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So you're choosing to avoiding paying charges for checked baggage by carrying your needles in your carry on and you're expecting a highly qualified professional to provide you with a letter to help you to do that for free?
 
They are professionals and have a surgery to run and pay nurses and receptionists. According to NHS England a missed GP appointment is £30 so £20 for a letter would seem very fair.

I have obtained manly pills and potions over the counter at Spanish Pharmacy's which a prescription so that could be an option if needed in the future.
 
15mins to do a letter @ £20 = £640 for an 8hr days work, cheap if you ask me for a professional.
 
Littlewheels said:
We had a similar some years ago and they took the items into their care and handed them back at the end of the flight at their terminal desk.
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Ever tried opening the in-flight cellophane packets of nuts and biscuits etc. with one hand?
I have no use of my right arm or hand (motorbike crash) so always carry a small pair of scissors in my manbag which are confiscated and handed back after the flight.
The upside is that I get personal attention from a delightful stewardess to open them. :giggle:
 
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Spriddler said:
Ever tried opening the in-flight cellophane packets of nuts and biscuits etc. with one hand?
I have no use of my right arm or hand so always carry a small pair of scissors in my manbag which are confiscated and handed back after the flight.
The upside is that I get personal attention from a delightful stewardess to open them. :giggle:
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Never thought of that.
 
Portland said:
We are flying back to Spain to continue our journey with the MH, June has to take injection needles with her, to do this she has to have a letter from her GP to go through customs.
I phoned our surgery to request said letter,
Confusion then set in but eventually they rang back to say they would but its only for the one journey and they charge £20 for doing it, I questioned this, explaining we are only hard up pensioners but it made no difference, they insisted on taking the money
Click to expand...
Sorry can you explain the hard up pensioners part! as it makes no sense, with your statement 😳

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GPs have charges for this sort of thing for years. As a teacher every so often I was asked to sign the back of a passport photo for a student. Free obviously. The GP was an alternative (& remember we are talking of a time when you could easily get to see a GP) BUT at a cost - of course.
 
Ridgeway said:
15mins to do a letter @ £20 = £640 for an 8hr days work, cheap if you ask me for a professional.
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Not just the doctor you are paying for what about equipment, nurses, receptionest, premises, maintainance, council tax, electricity, phones etc.

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Jimbohorlicks said:
Is it not on your prescriptions, that you require needles.? if your flying why don't you pack them in a suitcase so they go in the hold. Surely you wouldn't need them on a flight.
Click to expand...

Lizbiebrowne said:
So you're choosing to avoiding paying charges for checked baggage by carrying your needles in your carry on and you're expecting a highly qualified professional to provide you with a letter to help you to do that for free?
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The op stated they needed the letter to get the needles through customs. They would have the same issue with cabin bags and checked in hold baggage; both can be searched when arriving in Spain.
 
How times change, growing up in the 50's and 60's our GP was almost considered a member of family by his patients, him and his wife (the district nurse) were always invited to weddings, christenings etc. He wrote letters that found a medical reason for his patients getting a leg up on the council housing ladder and never charged a penny for it, inoculations for foreign holidays even, he never charged any of us for anything, a lovely, lovely man they certainly don't make GP's like that anymore.
 
ChrisL said:
How times change, growing up in the 50's and 60's our GP was almost considered a member of family by his patients, him and his wife (the district nurse) were always invited to weddings, christenings etc. He wrote letters that found a medical reason for his patients getting a leg up on the council housing ladder and never charged a penny for it, inoculations for foreign holidays even, he never charged any of us for anything, a lovely, lovely man they certainly don't make GP's like that anymore.
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I'm in two minds about this... If I need an inoculation for a foreign holiday, who should pay the cost of that... Me or every tax payer supporting the GP practice? Shouldn't those who require additional luxury extras pay? I use to find it frustrating and inconsistent that my GP would charge for some jabs but I could get them cheaper or free at inoculation centres but the latter were doing many a day where as my GP might only be getting a vial in for me and the rest would be wasted....

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Lizbiebrowne said:
So you're choosing to avoiding paying charges for checked baggage by carrying your needles in your carry on and you're expecting a highly qualified professional to provide you with a letter to help you to do that for free?
Click to expand...
Think that's a bit harsh and uncalled for. Because the m/h is already in Spain they have no need for checked baggage.
 
John needed a letter to be able to take his CPAP machine on the plane not in the hold. This was about 15 years ago, don't remember having to pay for it, and worded in such a way as to cover all future travel. Think £20 is a fair price, but should have been worded to cover all trips.
 

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