Does this sound extortionate or not

[bach]

Hi to all

 

Daughter in Law in terrible abdomen pain for 18 month seen 6 different NHS doctors and 2 in emergencies at weekend. Pain just doesn’t go away.

 

Any way, not one Dr has been able to diagnose the problem.

 

Recently her Company has given her Private Medical Insurance.

So she will go Private, but she actually needs to be diagnosed of the problem first, I have offered to pay an initial GP private consultation for her. Bupa have told me that she needs to request her medical records from her NHS doctor first. She phoned NHS Dr's this evening and they have told her a fee of £50.00 is required to release her records.

 

Does this sound extortionate or not, reactions really appreciated?

 

Should we do a S A Request and will we receive all the information required.

 

And of causse the other consideration is S A Request will take up to 40 days

 

All imput really appreciated.

Thanks Lynn

[ErikaPNP]

£50.00 is generally the sum that is requested for medical records, and can take up to 40 days

[MsWeatherwax]

Might be worth going back to her NHS GP, explaining that she now has private medical insurance and asking him to refer her to a private specialist.

 

Does it state in the policy that her condition must be diagnosed prior to private treatment?

[blinky123]

I work for a PMI company (not Bupa) and on occassions we will offer to contribute money towards getting medical records. Since Bupa are the ones asking for her records I suggest you ask them if they would be willing to contribute something towards it.

[Conniff]

I don't think it is extortionate, why would you give something free to a company that is going to make a big profit out of it. It has cost the NHS to compile that record over the years and someone is going to have to put it all together and mail it to a 'big profit' making company.

 

Bupa is not there out of the kindness of it's heart or for any persons welfare, it is just another business looking for profit.

[Cardinal Biggles]

I don't think it is extortionate, why would you give something free to a company that is going to make a big profit out of it. It has cost the NHS to compile that record over the years and someone is going to have to put it all together and mail it to a 'big profit' making company.

 

Bupa is not there out of the kindness of it's heart or for any persons welfare, it is just another business looking for profit.

 

Have you forgotten how the NHS is funded? I would hazzard a guess that the OPs daughter in law has paid alot more than £50 through national insurance to the NHS,charging someone for thier medical records in order to to recieve treatment after eight NHS doctors have failed to diagnose a problem is a disgrace.No payment = no treatment = extortion in my opinion.I share your views about Bupa but if it is the only way this lady will recieve the treatment she needs then the records should be given free of charge.

 

OP,i would follow MsWeatherwax's advice and try speaking to a GP about refferal to a private specialist.

[Conniff]

I agree the patient shouldn't have to pay for them, Bupa should.

[MRSWESTHAM]

Normally if its for an insurance claim the insurance company will pay for the copies of notes. If a patient wants to read there notes we charge £10 for access. We charge 31p per copy as well so £50 could work out extortionate for a patient with no past medical history. I wish you well

[bach]

Hi to all of you, and thank you so very much for your imput, Im sorry I have'nt been back in touch sooner to thank you all, but I have been looking after her all weekend.

 

Thank you all again much imput really appreciated.

Lynn

[Sali]

I believe the maximum fee is £50. I paid that for records of a relative going back absolutely years. If you are more specific in your request ie only ask for data from the date that the investigations on this particular issue started, it should take the administrator less time to photocopy - and presumably should be with you sooner.

 

It'll be interesting to see how long it takes the private clinicians to find the cause of your daughter in law's problem. The irony could be that she sees the same doctors in private practice as she did in the NHS. They'll just be getting paid a whole lot more money.