Local Medical Committee (LMC) leaders from Lancashire and Cumbria have drafted a letter to help GPs turn down patient requests for support when appealing against their benefits being withdrawn.
The template letter sent to practices advises patients to contact Jobcentre Plus or the appeals service if they need further medical evidence, and allow them to contact their GP if they think more information is needed.
It says -
"It is not necessary therefore for you to request any extra medical evidence from your GP. Indeed it may slow down or complicate the process.
Your GP is very busy seeing patients and unfortunately does not have the time available to complete such reports. Your GP is entitled to charge you for such a report and would not want to burden you with extra costs when they are not necessary.
This follows a similar letter disseminated to practices by Bro Taf LMC in Wales, which said GPs providing these reports was an "abuse of NHS resources".
Lancashire Coastal LMC chair Dr Stephen Hardwick, who helped write the letter, said:
"GPs are increasingly pressurised, their daily job is harder. We're monitored more closely through Qualities and Outcomes Framework, our prescribing more closely followed. We're also having to mop up from other NHS and social care problems.
It's hard for individual GPs to say no, because they want to do what's best for their patients. The problem is as that it becomes more frequent, as they bring in the bedroom tax, you don't have time for anything else."
The LMC action comes at a time when the DWP is actively encouraging disabled people to send in addtional medical evidennce in relation to ESA and PIP claims in order that more decisions can be correctly made first time.
More than 600,000 of the 1.8 million assessments carried out by Atos since 2009 have been the subject of an appeal, at a cost of £60 million.
Latest figures show that 42% of ESA appeals are successful.
For more information see LMC leaders plan campaign to encourage GPs to 'just say no' to benefit requests @ http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk
The LMC Letter to Patients Requesting Reports in Support of Disability Claims is available here.
Action for M.E. has produced a template letter for patients with M.E/CFS living in those areas who wish to protest against this move.
The Action for ME template letter is available @ http://www.actionforme.org.uk/get-informed/news/our-news/gps-refusing-to-support-welfare-benefit-claims
Others living in the Lancashire and Cumbria LMC area who wish to protest against the LMC action can contact the have the Consortium of Local Medical Committees Chief Executive Peter Higgins by:
- email peter.higgins@nwlmcs.org;
- post to: Peter Higgins, Consortium of Local Medical Committees, Ambulance Headquarters, 449-451 Garstang Road, Preston PR3 5LN
Note: Citizens Advice reported today that, as well as some surgeries refusing to provide medical evidence, some GPs are charging up to £115 to assist disabled people in their appeals against WCA decisions.
It warns that the practice of charging for independent evidence is widespread and is a “catch-22” for disabled people, many of whom face the prospect of an incorrect assessment by ATOS followed by an expensive appeals process.
Citizens Advice Chief Executive, Gillian Guy, said -
“Lots of people entitled to ESA are being denied it unfairly. Wrong assessments prevent people from getting the financial support they’re entitled to and being charged up to £115 for medical evidence to help appeal a bad decision puts sick and disabled people in a catch-22 situation.
Without independent medical evidence in appeals against assessments by the notoriously unreliable ATOS, sick and disabled people are being left to fight against bad decisions with one hand tied behind their back.
She added -
“No one doubts the pressure on the NHS at the moment but by charging for a medical assessment, some GPs are adding unnecessary extra anxiety. In some cases, sick and disabled people are facing the double blow of a wrong assessment followed by a demand for money to get the evidence they need to overturn that decision.
Work Capability Assessments are stressful experiences and going through the appeals process makes things even worse. Without the support of medical evidence, many people’s legitimate appeals against wrong decisions are significantly weakened, leaving them unable to get a fair outcome.”
For more information see Sick and disabled people facing “catch-22” as GPs charge to help with appeals against ATOS assessments @ http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk