GP Charging €30 to write a letter

infogiver

popa smurf wrote: »

I am with the OP on this one a GP would scribble out a letter in a minute and if he is family doctor well he will get enough out of them during the year. OK its a business now and the GP has bils to pay but I think its a bit much

You think a scribble on a piece of paper is professional? Readable? helpful?
Explain how he "will get enough out of them during the year".

Lau2976

My dad is a psychologist who has a private practice and he gets letter requests every day. I'm sure it's 10x worse for a GP. He charges as they have to carefully plan what to write to avoid over stepping their role, especially if your asking your gp for a letter because of mental health, there is a very valid reason that your deferred when you go to your gp with mental health issues.

The charge covers the cost of the time but also acts as a deterrent to people getting letters for everything. Most won't leave it if they are told the doctor won't write it but they will if they are told the price.

The comparison of old GP's and new is pretty ridiculous too, and IMHO your old GP was much to close to you to be unbiased. Getting too close to patients for any doctor can easily blur the lines quickly.

infogiver

Medical reports for insurance claims are a huge nuisance but the "demand " for them has reduced hugely since my GP started charging €100 per report.

seamus

Lau2976 wrote: »

My dad is a psychologist who has a private practice and he gets letter requests every day. I'm sure it's 10x worse for a GP. He charges as they have to carefully plan what to write to avoid over stepping their role, especially if your asking your gp for a letter because of mental health, there is a very valid reason that your deferred when you go to your gp with mental health issues.

The charge covers the cost of the time but also acts as a deterrent to people getting letters for everything. Most won't leave it if they are told the doctor won't write it but they will if they are told the price.

I think both of these points cover it.
Their opinion on a piece of paper is ultimately a reflection on themselves, with the potential to be used against them in the future. They can't just scribble something on a piece of paper without giving it at least some thought; in the worst case scenario they could lose their insurance and licence to practice!

And there are some people who will pester GPs for everything. Nominal charges like €30 deter these people from wasting the GPs time with constant requests for letters and phone calls.

shesty

Is there something actually wrong with the child? Why on earth would a medical doctor be writing a letter to a playschool otherwise??That seems mad to me. Personally, my own child is a june baby and won't be starting school til she's five because she will simply be too young.I don't see the need for a gp to be involved at all, and I can't understand what they could add to the whole situation (unless there is something wrong with your child), so under these circumstances, I see no problem with the 30eur charge.

seamus

shesty wrote: »

Is there something actually wrong with the child? Why on earth would a medical doctor be writing a letter to a playschool otherwise??That seems mad to me. Personally, my own child is a june baby and won't be starting school til she's five because she will simply be too young.I don't see the need for a gp to be involved at all, and I can't understand what they could add to the whole situation (unless there is something wrong with your child), so under these circumstances, I see no problem with the 30eur charge.

Some playschools/preschools have enrolment restrictions in relation to age and won't take children who are already 4 years old when the school year begins.

Sounds a bit mad, but the amount of change and development that occurs during that period is massive. A child who is due to turn 5 during the school year is likely to become really bored over the course of the year and ends up being disruptive and unhappy. This is especially the case if the focus of the school tends towards younger children. A child who is just gone 4 may be better served in a montessori than the playschool.

So I can understand why a school might ask for professional opinions about the suitability of a 4 year old for another full year of playschool.

January

Early Start is a school run pre-school program. It now runs two year programs because of the new ECCE regulations but previously the child only did one year and then went on to JI, usually in the same school. OP, how old is your child? Is she not entitled to the second year for ECCE?

mrsmags16

30 euro seems very reasonable for taking time out to do this.
I am not sure why you are comparing your GP to a childhood memory. A guy servicing my car once threw in a free mirror replacement. So what? Should the next guy be expected to do that? GPs have to run a business like everybody else. A repeat prescription costs about 25 euro. A letter for 30 euro seems more than fair.
Of course professionals should be paid for their services.

Wesser

Your GP in probably inundated with constant requests for letter requests for this and that. This all takes time when you add it up and requires the GP to come in early / stay late.

The reason you are surprised by the request is that you have an under 6 s card which means you forget the true value of what you are receiving because it is given to you for free.

The payment given to the doctor for the under 6s card does not include unlimited tasks , it covers medical care for when your child is sick.

infogiver

I'm glad to see so many boardsies appreciate that their GP is not a magician who must produce letters and reports and Certs at the drop of a hat and for nothing too because "we have a medical card".
I'm not a GP but I am employed in providing a public service which is free to service users.
It always amuses me that people will be completely subservient to service providers that they have to pay, plumbers electricians builders etc but very quickly becoming borderline dictatorial and divaish and sometimes abusive when getting a service for free.
Nurses, teachers, Gardai, ambulance drivers, GPS, fire men, SW staff, all are frequently treated disrespectfully, by people who should no better.
The next time a life time dole mooch tells me that he's paying my wages...