GP practices should charge patients requesting letters for emotional support pets, an LMC has advised.
Surrey and Sussex LMCs reminded practices in its area that GPs are not contractually obligated to provide patients with supporting letters for emotional support animals.
It added GPs may decline ‘unless a formal request is received’, for example from a local authority specifying their requirements, or they can decide to provide the letters for a fee.
In new guidance for practices, the LMC said: ‘Emotional support animals (ESAs) are not legally recognised in the UK, though some individuals may find therapeutic benefit from their presence. NHS GPs are not contractually obligated to provide letters of support for ESAs.
‘If a GP chooses to provide a letter, this is considered non-NHS work, and an appropriate professional fee can be charged.’
The LMC also advised that the letters ‘should focus on factual information’, such as diagnoses, rather than ‘opinions’ about the therapeutic value of emotional support animals.
It added: ‘Patients with access to their medical records may already have the necessary information.
‘GPs are not required to engage with these requests and may decline unless a formal request is received, such as from a local authority specifying their requirements. This work would also be chargeable.’
Pulse has previously reported on GP practices in Cornwall which received ‘increasing requests’ to produce supporting letters for emotional support pets.
Kernow LMC said that practices in the area were receiving requests from tenants in properties managed or owned by Cornwall Council for supporting letters to allow them to have a pet.
Similarly to Surrey and Sussex LMCs, it advised practices to charge for the letters in line with each practice’s own fees and strongly recommended to only produce the letters after receiving payment.
The LMC also said that the patient requesting the letter can be redirected to another professional such as a social worker or a psychiatrist, should the practice be unable to produce the letter.
