GP's Supplying GPFRs - (Service Provider or Not)?

Hi all,

I would really appreciate your opinions to whether a GP is acting as a service provider to the DWP when getting paid to complete factual reports, please see.......

PIP Assessment Guide

5.1.5.

"As independent contractors, GPs are permitted to receive a fee for completing GPFRs and providing factual information unless the information required is included in their contractual agreement."

5.1.6.

"Where it is permissible to pay a fee, this should be the standard fee that the Department pays – currently £33.50 for a GPFR"

Reason for asking is that an "anytime revision" (official error) for DLA hangs on this very question, especially when the NHS records were correct but was entered incorrectly when filling out the GPFR.

Thanks so much in advance

I would think that to be defined as a service provider would require an agreement to be in place.

Maybe the BMA would be able to clarify whether a blanket agreement exists for all GPs to be defined as such for the purposes of filling in a GPFR.
As an independent cntractor GPs may be able to get paid as expert witnesses which would be a different definition to service provider. I would think service providers would provide a regular service whereas a GP might only provide a report once.