We charged about £20-30 before they started to go on about £10 plus 31p. Now
we charge £20-40 for before 1991 plus £10 and 31p per side. We send a letter
off stating what the total charge will be and its breakdown, and wait for
the cheque before doing the work. Our average charge is now nearer £40 and
in one case we managed to charge over £60. My best success in this area was
a request on a Friday afternoon for a complete copy by 6.00pm as they had
lost their copy and were due in court on Monday Morning. I pointed out that
the only person available to do the copying was me and the charge for an
hour of my time would be £50 plus the usual. The paid £75 for the privilege
of loosing the notes.
If they don't want to do this we can provide a room at £5 per hour for their
expert to come and study the notes in normal office hours. He can't use our
photocopier though!
Trefor
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [log in to unmask]
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Roger Leary
> Sent: 16 September 1998 14:53
> To: gp-uk
> Subject: Access to Medical Records by solicitors
>
>
> We seem to be copying records 1-2 x weekly for solicitors. Until
> recently we charged £10.00 plus photocopying charges 31p per side.
> However the medical record act 1990 only relates to records after
> November 1st 1991.
> As far as I can tell It does not apply to records held on computer.
> Therefore I contend that we can charge
>
> £10.00 for records after November 1st 1991, plus an
> additional
> £'a reasonable fee' for records prior to 1991 (I have
> suggested £10.00), plus
> Photocopying charges 31p per side for the above, plus
> £10.00 for access to Computer held records (Ref 1984 Data
> Protection Act)
>
> i.e.. 30£ plus copying charges in total
>
> I sent an account structured in this way to a solicitor recently who
> refused to pay anything more than £10.00 plus 31p per side copying
> charges. I backed down as life is too short and I was basically
> "testing the water" . However I still feel I probably am legally
> entitled to charge these fee's. Then again perhaps I am wrong,
> *yet again*?!
> Does anybody have any comments?
> Particularly Lurking Legal Eagles?
>
> Roger Leary. GP, Esher, Surrey
>
>
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