Jump to content

BASC says don’t pay medical fee


Recommended Posts

  • Replies 59
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

If you are a member of BASC or one of the other organisations, it might be a good idea to run it past them first, in case they can suggest improvements to the wording. They have lots of experience in helping members to deal with "difficult" officialdom.

Also, try to keep updating David et al about the outcome, because BASC will probably revise their guidance from time to time.

 

In your draft letter you missed out the most important part, namely "As this is a new process and we anticipate the level of detail requested by the police may vary, no specific fee has been agreed. However the BMA publishes fees for various Government departments that you may wish to refer to when setting and agreeing your fees before undertaking the work."

 

I would expect my GP to do exactly that. Write to me and ask if I was willing to pay his fee before he did the work

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

This is not what the BMA agreed to at the meetings earlier this year, why they have now changed their guidance away from what they agreed I have no idea. Never the less, BASC's position remains the same, so please do keep an eye on the website, especially as after today I will be away on holiday with my family up in the Highlands for 2 weeks so will not be able to post again until mid August

 

David

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As far as I can see, the advice issued by BASC is and always has been precisely the same as that published by the Home Office in April 2016: Initial check of the patient record in response to the standard police letter – there is no expectation of a fee.”

 

The BMA stated clearly on their website (30 June 2016) that “The work involved in responding to the letter is minimal and therefore can be undertaken easily without delay and without a fee.” They revised the website yesterday (28 July 2016) to say “We are now advising GPs to return the letter to the police without delay explaining they are unable to undertake the work due to a lack of funding…..

This emanates from the “Ethics Department” of the BMA, and it seems their ethical standards now involve charging fees for minimal work.

 

The BMA have said .....the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) are advising their members to refuse payment to GPs for responding to the initial police letter which asks to check and place a marker on the medical record” but have chosen not to mention that this is also the Home Office published guidance. Are the BMA are being economical with words, or economical with the truth?

 

It is perhaps worth remembering that the BMA is a trade union, not a regulatory body for the medical profession. In fact, their website states “BMA as a trade union. We stand up for doctors individually and collectively on a wide variety of employment issues and are recognised for collective bargaining purposes nationally and locally.”

 

As an aside, I assume this standard letter from police to GPs must have been published, but does anybody know where it can be viewed?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...