"Frustrating experience at the Medical Practice"

My mother recently has been diagnosed with a life changing chest complaint, which means she now requires domicillary oxygen for a period throughout the day.

Prior to this diagnosis, we had booked a family holiday.  Her insurance stated she required a 'Fit to Fly' test which was carried out in June at QEUH, the results were to be transferred to an airline and signed by the GP. However this has become an impossible task.

We have had numerous visits to Reception, a visit to ANP and various phone calls, all of which have refused to sign the form stating it should be completed by the hospital consultant. The Hospital advised us this must be completed by GP as a practitioner who is familiar with her health, and that they will be paid for this. Still we have have had no luck in getting this signed, with 5 days until she is due to travel. 

We contacted NHS Inform, who also advised it should be completed by GP.  We told the Health Centre about this and again they have still refused to complete it. We asked if we were the first patients to request such a form to be completed, to which they replied no, but they always refuse ! Their rationale being that the doctor does not have aviation insurance.  We were not asking them to fly the plane...only sign a form. When asked where we were supposed to take this to, we were told to take it the the aviation department' in Inverclyde Royal Hospital.  Now, I have worked in IRH for the last 30 years and NEVER in my life have heard of such a department, this is the most ludicrous excuse I have ever heard.

Not once have we been offered an opportunity to discuss this with the GP, only told to leave the form for the GP to have a look at it, which they still declined, then fobbed off with receptionists and the Practice Manager who have been useless in providing any help, advice or assistance, with the suggestion made that we take the form to the Travel Agents.

The GP refused to complete as he stated another doctor had already started to complete the form.  If they had read the information they would have discovered that my mother had filled in the flight details, something I am 100% sure that no level of doctor would have been aware of.  My mother has paid her taxes for all of her working life, incidentally 25 years to the NHS, and to be treated in this way I find abominable. This had caused her more stress and anxiety in the last 10 days that we fear this may affect her general health.

Thankfully when the Respiratory Consultant heard of our plight, they very kindly agreed to sign the form today.

I would like some points to be clarified please:

1. Who has the responsibility to sign this form?

2. What is the reason for the refusal to sign this form, I do not believe this has anything to do with 'aviation insurance' ?

3. What will happen in the future if we require a similar form signed?

4. Has this issue been raised throughout other GP practices or is this local to this Medical Practice?

5. If there is confirmation that GP are supposed to sign this type of form, will there be some form of internal communication passed to all GP's to advise them of this to avoid a repeat occurrence not only for my mother, but also for the many patients under their care?

I look forward to your response.