question about payment Dr fee

[russian rocket]

Got a chap, requested a private referral to Orthopod at local Nuffield hospital. Now says he didn’t know he had to pay for it and thought it was an NHS referral. This is of course complete B0!!0ck$ he is just trying it on. He has private insurance but I think it had expired by the time he got seen and he has been landed with a big bill.

I am trying not to get involved I am afraid it is between him and the Nuffield, but he keeps hassling.

Latest round is he has brought in a copy of the contract he signed at the Nuffield before he saw the Dr. He has clearly ticked the box saying NHS funded patient. I am sure the NHS won’t cough up.

Question is (just for my curiosity) does he have a chance of getting out of it on basis Nuffield accepted him as an NHS patient even though they have no chance getting the money out of the NHS

[justinp1]

I am not sure of your connection to this and why he is hassling you, but this will all come down to the terms and conditions of the contract he signed.

Secondly, if you are sure he is trying it on, then *perhaps* the copy that he has shown you with the box ticked, might be different to the one the hospital has...

If it is between the Nuffield and him, then I would as you have done stay out of the loop completely.

The 'endgame' of this is that the hospital may choose to take the guy to court to pay for the fees. If he really believes that he has been 'done' then this would be the place to explain that and let the court decide.