Having major troubles getting paid by the NHS!! HELP please?
Discussion
Well this is a difficult one. I own an opticians practice in Southampton and have had an NHS contract to provide NHS funded services since April this year. We have followed everything they have told us to do to the letter, have a long paper and email trail but still not set up to receive payment and are now desperately in need of their payment which is now a 5 figure sum and growing. It's literally at the stage that we will not be able to pay staff and suppliers if this doesn't get rectified soon. Have tried multiple times to get help and now need to resort to legal action. We believe they are in breech of contract which states, "you will be paid promptly" and have not been paid a penny from them as of yet. Do we have a legal case, avenue we can take. I do not want to sue the NHS just make them pay us what we are desperately owed. Thanks.
It's been down to a very prolonged (Unacceptable) process. In short sentences:
We set up new contract, wait payment code.
Had trouble getting code, then was advised to send in claims on current forms we had, previous practice owners, with our new bank details. We have had confirmation we were to do this.
Then on payment due date, we called to see why it hadn't entered our account? Told it had been paid, so waited couple more days to see if it cleared, nothing.
Called again, told that we had not been set up on there system, although, we previously had confirmation we could submit for payment.
We have since supplied them all the previous confirmation emails, someone senior said they'd deal with it, when we now try to contact, she is never available.
This whole process has been a lot more involved that described above, and had been since April. We are due to submit another claim now for another months work, and can't as they have now told us to wait for our new claims forms to be set up and set for our use.
We set up new contract, wait payment code.
Had trouble getting code, then was advised to send in claims on current forms we had, previous practice owners, with our new bank details. We have had confirmation we were to do this.
Then on payment due date, we called to see why it hadn't entered our account? Told it had been paid, so waited couple more days to see if it cleared, nothing.
Called again, told that we had not been set up on there system, although, we previously had confirmation we could submit for payment.
We have since supplied them all the previous confirmation emails, someone senior said they'd deal with it, when we now try to contact, she is never available.
This whole process has been a lot more involved that described above, and had been since April. We are due to submit another claim now for another months work, and can't as they have now told us to wait for our new claims forms to be set up and set for our use.
Danattheopticians said:
It's been down to a very prolonged (Unacceptable) process. In short sentences:
We set up new contract, wait payment code.
Had trouble getting code, then was advised to send in claims on current forms we had, previous practice owners, with our new bank details. We have had confirmation we were to do this.
Then on payment due date, we called to see why it hadn't entered our account? Told it had been paid, so waited couple more days to see if it cleared, nothing.
Called again, told that we had not been set up on there system, although, we previously had confirmation we could submit for payment.
We have since supplied them all the previous confirmation emails, someone senior said they'd deal with it, when we now try to contact, she is never available.
This whole process has been a lot more involved that described above, and had been since April. We are due to submit another claim now for another months work, and can't as they have now told us to wait for our new claims forms to be set up and set for our use.
Yep, this sounds like a normal day dealing with the public sector. We set up new contract, wait payment code.
Had trouble getting code, then was advised to send in claims on current forms we had, previous practice owners, with our new bank details. We have had confirmation we were to do this.
Then on payment due date, we called to see why it hadn't entered our account? Told it had been paid, so waited couple more days to see if it cleared, nothing.
Called again, told that we had not been set up on there system, although, we previously had confirmation we could submit for payment.
We have since supplied them all the previous confirmation emails, someone senior said they'd deal with it, when we now try to contact, she is never available.
This whole process has been a lot more involved that described above, and had been since April. We are due to submit another claim now for another months work, and can't as they have now told us to wait for our new claims forms to be set up and set for our use.
Oakey said:
Danattheopticians said:
stuff
Yep, this sounds like a normal day dealing with the public sector. 
The sh!t and layers of bureaucracy we have to go through to show "best value" and "transparency" for the public probably costs more than the contract to be awarded.Can you get you're MP involved if they are not on their 8 week summer holiday ? Note to press ?? about how it is putting your business at risk? I would say they don't like bad publicity but it's probably like water off a ducks back to them.
Danattheopticians said:
Rangeroverover said:
Can you factor the payments
Sorry how do you mean? They are a major part of our cash flow each month etc. We are almost cashed out now do to length of time this has been going on for.I understand the problems your having but cant say why on here.
One bit of advice, go straight to the top don't bother speaking to payment clerks, the manger that was sorting this out is obviously useless, time to push it up the line.
Get on their website or call them and find out their CEO name, e-mail him and copy in the manager you spoke to, the manager will now s
t her self and sort it out.
E-mail as many directors/heads of departments you can and get them to take notice, tell them you cant pay staff and are at risk of shutting down.
Time to get tough with these idiots.
One bit of advice, go straight to the top don't bother speaking to payment clerks, the manger that was sorting this out is obviously useless, time to push it up the line.
Get on their website or call them and find out their CEO name, e-mail him and copy in the manager you spoke to, the manager will now s
t her self and sort it out.E-mail as many directors/heads of departments you can and get them to take notice, tell them you cant pay staff and are at risk of shutting down.
Time to get tough with these idiots.
Danattheopticians said:
Rangeroverover said:
Can you factor the payments
Sorry how do you mean? They are a major part of our cash flow each month etc. We are almost cashed out now do to length of time this has been going on for.It doesn't help with your predicament, but can help with cashflow issues. Unlocks cash, otherwise locked up in invoices.
Danattheopticians said:
It's been down to a very prolonged (Unacceptable) process. In short sentences:
We set up new contract, wait payment code.
Had trouble getting code, then was advised to send in claims on current forms we had, previous practice owners, with our new bank details. We have had confirmation we were to do this.
Then on payment due date, we called to see why it hadn't entered our account? Told it had been paid, so waited couple more days to see if it cleared, nothing.
Called again, told that we had not been set up on there system, although, we previously had confirmation we could submit for payment.
We have since supplied them all the previous confirmation emails, someone senior said they'd deal with it, when we now try to contact, she is never available.
This whole process has been a lot more involved that described above, and had been since April. We are due to submit another claim now for another months work, and can't as they have now told us to wait for our new claims forms to be set up and set for our use.
We used to do LOADS of work for the NHS doing multi million £ contracts.We set up new contract, wait payment code.
Had trouble getting code, then was advised to send in claims on current forms we had, previous practice owners, with our new bank details. We have had confirmation we were to do this.
Then on payment due date, we called to see why it hadn't entered our account? Told it had been paid, so waited couple more days to see if it cleared, nothing.
Called again, told that we had not been set up on there system, although, we previously had confirmation we could submit for payment.
We have since supplied them all the previous confirmation emails, someone senior said they'd deal with it, when we now try to contact, she is never available.
This whole process has been a lot more involved that described above, and had been since April. We are due to submit another claim now for another months work, and can't as they have now told us to wait for our new claims forms to be set up and set for our use.
We wont ever do it direct anymore. Its like dealing with idiots, oh the purchaser for that job is off sick then oh they are on development leave then oh they are on yogurt knitting leave. Then after 6 months they are back at work and are not authorized to make a payment, that six months ago had been made so no one else could pay it... They do not have the ability to make decisions and you the supplier foot the bill for their retarded staff and ridiculous organizations.
Seriously does your business NEED NHS work?
nikaiyo2 said:
Danattheopticians said:
It's been down to a very prolonged (Unacceptable) process. In short sentences:
We set up new contract, wait payment code.
Had trouble getting code, then was advised to send in claims on current forms we had, previous practice owners, with our new bank details. We have had confirmation we were to do this.
Then on payment due date, we called to see why it hadn't entered our account? Told it had been paid, so waited couple more days to see if it cleared, nothing.
Called again, told that we had not been set up on there system, although, we previously had confirmation we could submit for payment.
We have since supplied them all the previous confirmation emails, someone senior said they'd deal with it, when we now try to contact, she is never available.
This whole process has been a lot more involved that described above, and had been since April. We are due to submit another claim now for another months work, and can't as they have now told us to wait for our new claims forms to be set up and set for our use.
We used to do LOADS of work for the NHS doing multi million £ contracts.We set up new contract, wait payment code.
Had trouble getting code, then was advised to send in claims on current forms we had, previous practice owners, with our new bank details. We have had confirmation we were to do this.
Then on payment due date, we called to see why it hadn't entered our account? Told it had been paid, so waited couple more days to see if it cleared, nothing.
Called again, told that we had not been set up on there system, although, we previously had confirmation we could submit for payment.
We have since supplied them all the previous confirmation emails, someone senior said they'd deal with it, when we now try to contact, she is never available.
This whole process has been a lot more involved that described above, and had been since April. We are due to submit another claim now for another months work, and can't as they have now told us to wait for our new claims forms to be set up and set for our use.
We wont ever do it direct anymore. Its like dealing with idiots, oh the purchaser for that job is off sick then oh they are on development leave then oh they are on yogurt knitting leave. Then after 6 months they are back at work and are not authorized to make a payment, that six months ago had been made so no one else could pay it... They do not have the ability to make decisions and you the supplier foot the bill for their retarded staff and ridiculous organizations.
Seriously does your business NEED NHS work?
nikaiyo2 said:
We wont ever do it direct anymore. Its like dealing with idiots, oh the purchaser for that job is off sick then oh they are on development leave then oh they are on yogurt knitting leave. Then after 6 months they are back at work and are not authorized to make a payment, that six months ago had been made so no one else could pay it... They do not have the ability to make decisions and you the supplier foot the bill for their retarded staff and ridiculous organizations.
This still happens today - unfortunately.We've just approached our bank to provide invoice financing to allow us to take on bigger projects. It's obviously not something you can do in retrospect but, similar to factoring, a good solution. My thinking is that having the bank chase our creditors for money may be far more powerful than a factoring outfit.
As an aside, it boils by pi55 that government departments behave in this way especially when you learn that a doctor in the Midlands has received £375k in over-time payments this year!!
As an aside, it boils by pi55 that government departments behave in this way especially when you learn that a doctor in the Midlands has received £375k in over-time payments this year!!
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