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Doctors letter rip off

J

jgibson1962

Active Member
Messages
31
Location
Milton Keynes
I am off to Spain next month and because I am taking Insulin I need a Doctors letter to get me past Customs. I have just been charged £24 for this letter which I have been told lasts for 6 months. I am absolutely livid, I believe this to be discrimination that we even need a note in the first place. Does anyone else on here feel the same as me? I didn't ask for this disease now i'm being penalised as well. :evil:
 
I got my Diabetes Nurse to write mine, about 2mths back. Went to France.

She did it FOC. Didnt have any problems.
 
Easy money for your gp surgery! :thumbdown:


I've not been charged for a letter but admit it's been a few years since I last asked.
 
I wonde if the card provided by Diabetes Uk would do
Hana
 
hanadr said:
I wonde if the card provided by Diabetes Uk would do
Hana
Click to expand...

I've been told its got to be a Doctors note as proof that you have to carry needles, I guess they must be worried we would use our charged insulin syringes as a weapon to hijack the aircraft.
 
hanadr said:
I wonde if the card provided by Diabetes Uk would do
Hana
Click to expand...


I wouldn't think so as you would need something with your name, address and insulin supply details, also it would need to be signed from someone who is responsible for your health-care.
 
I had one done a few years ago and got charged £20. I kicked up such a fuss they did it free of charge. I'm surprised that it lasts for 6 months given that diabetes lasts a lifetime!
 
SamJB said:
I had one done a few years ago and got charged £20. I kicked up such a fuss they did it free of charge. I'm surprised that it lasts for 6 months given that diabetes lasts a lifetime!
Click to expand...


Last time I asked I don't recall this 6 month time limit, the cynic in me would say its just another way for them to make more money if they are charging £20-£24 for a letter.
 
Always best to approach either you consultant/hospital DSN as they don't charge for said letter, or your surgery diabetic nurse, often she will sort it out without charge!

Last letter I needed for my Open University application, my surgery DSN sorted for me and I wasn't charged for said Letter...

It's not quite a rip off though, as somebody got to look at your medical records, before they can write out the letter, then you've got the cost of paper, ink and envelope so a small charge is acceptable.

And no different than being asked to pay for the various vaccinations you need to travel to certain countries
.
 
When I went to Spain a few years ago all I needed to take was a repeat prescription. I wasn't even asked about it at the airport.
 
All I took to the States was my repeat prescription although I did not need to show it

Lorna
 
Hey guys!

I was told by my surgery that i would be charged for the letter the airline insisted I needed. I rang the airline and spoke to someone more senior. The conversation was amicable and I explained that I felt i was being discriminated against and my surgery was asking £20 for the letter. The lady went off and spoke to her manager who said a repeat prescription with a signed printout of a recent medical record stating that I was an insulin-dependant diabetic would be fine. The surgery did that free of charge.

Smidge
 
Probably not what you want to hear, but I travel a lot with work (3 trips a month, usually) and have never had to have letter. I just say they were for medical reasons and make sure my insulin is in a box with the prescription label. Never, ever had a problem wherever I have gone.

Anyway, hope you have a lovely holiday!
 
did you go though the reception staff because when i do that i get a charge .i either get my DSN to do me a letter which they happely do for free ,or go stright into my GP and ask him direct he is always more then happy to do me a letter with no charge a lot of the time you need to just bypass the ones that think they are it and now it all.the reception staff,LOL :clap:
 

I disagree with you, as a tax and National Insurance payer, something like this is should be an entitlement as this disease is for life and is not self inflicted. The letter itself would be a standard letter where your name is selected automatically from the database and mail merged into it. The cost of producing the letter would probably be less than 10p. So how can £24 be justified?
 
Have you asked for the diabetic passport which is now out and has all your infor you just show it at the airport with your passport and no problems
 
Van1946 said:
Have you asked for the diabetic passport which is now out and has all your infor you just show it at the airport with your passport and no problems
Click to expand...

Interesting, no I haven't heard of that, do you have any information please.
 
I had that years ago and was furious when I checked the letter and found she'd time limited. Yes because I won't be type 1 in 6 months..... so I got a friend who's a Dr to write me a note. Never had to show it.
 
Hi, I fly to portugal for two or four weeks every year for the last 18 years and have never been asked for anything at all.
Michael
 
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