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What happens when the letter lands on the record.
Reviews from people who used Finally Seen, published with their permission.
From patients and carers
Published with permission, in their own words. Individual results vary. These are individual experiences and not a promise that you will get the same outcome.
“Waiting list at my local service was quoted as 6 to 8 YEARS. Used this, right to choose provider accepted in 3 weeks, assessed, diagnosed, titrating now. Ive gone from a written warning at work to actually keeping on top of things. Cheapest money iv ever spent and thats not an exageration.”
Tom, 27, Sheffield
ADHD
Six to eight year local wait became a 3 week Right to Choose acceptance
“My lads been off school 14 months. Every appointment i came out feeling like id been told off. I used this to write it down for him instead of me trying to explain while hes sat there crying. Paediatric referral came thru in 9 days. 14 months of nothing and then 9 days. Thats what gets me.”
Dave, 52, Stoke-on-Trent
Long COVID
Paediatric referral in 9 days after 14 months off school
“im mostly bedbound so i can only do things in tiny bits. did half of it, closed my eyes for an hour, finished it. The letter had the bit about NG206 and that graded exercise isnt recommended anymore, which is exactly what id been pushed into twice and got worse from. new GP read it and stopped. shes doing a home visit now instead of making me come in. i cried, sorry. thank you x”
Bethan, 33, Swansea
ME/CFS
GP stopped pushing graded exercise and switched to home visits
“11 years. eleven. Told it was ibs, told it was stress, told to try the pill again. Sent the letter, got gynae referral, had the laparoscopy in march and they found stage 3 endo and adhesions on my bowel. So not stress then. I dont think id have ever been diagnosed if i hadnt stopped being polite about it.”
Nicola, 31, Bolton
Endometriosis
Gynae referral then laparoscopy, stage 3 endo diagnosed after 11 years
“Went in about the rage, the not sleeping and the brain fog and came out with antidepressants for the third time. This letter set out every symptom and how long id had them and asked directly why HRT hadnt been considered. Different doctor, 20 minute appointment, patches started that week. Ive slept 7 hours a night for a month. I feel like me again. Wish id had this 3 years ago.”
Joanne, 46, Glasgow
Perimenopause / HRT
HRT patches started that week after three rounds of antidepressants
“Ive been in the "nothing more we can do" pile since 2019. The letter asked for a pain management referral and quoted the guideline for chronic pain, and it also asked for a written reason if they said no. Thats the clever bit i think. They didnt want to put no in writing so i got the referral. Pain clinic 6 weeks later. First time in years anyones actually made a plan with me.”
Tracey, 41, Hull
Fibromyalgia
Pain clinic in 6 weeks, because they would not put a refusal in writing
“Everyone kept saying anxiety because my heart rate goes to 160 when i stand up. Its not anxiety, i can literally show you on my watch. The letter didnt claim a diagnosis it just asked for cardiology and a proper stand test and said why. Got both. Tilt table in august. i have never felt so taken seriously in my life and it was a piece of paper.”
Megan, 22, Cardiff
POTS / Dysautonomia
Cardiology referral plus an active stand test and tilt table booked
“My referral got bounced back by a specialist whod never met me and i was told im being "managed in primary care". Didnt even know what that meant. This picked up on it straight away and the letter asked 3 things, refer me anyway, send me the written advice you recieved, and put your decision in writing. I got the advice letter within a fortnight and then the referral. They dont like putting things in writing, thats the whole secret isnt it.”
Ian, 61, Leicester
Advice & Guidance rejection
Got the specialist advice in writing, then the referral he was refused
“Mums generation dont complain do they. She would go in, say shes fine, come out with nothing and then cry in the car. I sat with her and did this and she signed it. She has an appointment, shes had her bloods and her b12 was on the floor. Shes on injections now and shes brighter than shes been in a year. If your parent isnt being heard just do this for them.”
Sam, 29, Belfast
Post viral fatigue
B12 found on the floor, injections started, brighter than she has been in a year
“Three appointments, three different doctors, no notes read. What this does is put it ALL on one page in order so they cant just deal with todays 10 minutes. Got a proper set of bloods, thyroid, ferritin, coeliac, and a referral. Ferritin was 6. Six! And id been told i was tired because i have kids. Do it, seriously.”
Lorraine, 39, Dundee
Unexplained fatigue
Ferritin came back at 6 after being told she was tired because she has kids
“Been asking for the long covid clinic since january and everytime i got "give it more time". Did the questions on my phone in bed, took about 5 mins. Sent the letter thru the surgery website on the thursday. Friday afternoon the GP rang me himself. Referral done, bloods booked, and he apologised. I didnt need a better doctor i just needed to say it properly.”
Rachel, 44, Nottingham
Long COVID
Long COVID clinic referral and bloods, one day after sending
“I asked about ADHD in 2022 and got told im "too high functioning" and probably just stressed. Did this, it explained Right to Choose properly with the actual wording, and my surgery accepted it with no argument. Assessed in 11 weeks. I am 38 and i have spent my whole life thinking i was lazy and rubbish at being a person. I wasnt.”
Priya, 38, Reading
ADHD
Right to Choose referral accepted, assessed in 11 weeks
“Honestly wasnt sure it would do anything, its just a letter isnt it. But it lists everything in order with dates and it doesnt sound emotional even though i am. Got a full set of bloods, coeliac screen and a referral to the fatigue service. Only 4 stars cos the wait for that service is 10 months but thats not their fault is it.”
Callum, 24, Sunderland
ME/CFS
Full bloods, coeliac screen and fatigue service referral
“Blokes dont get listened to either, ive been told to lose weight and take ibuprofen for 3 year. Wrote to them with this. MRI request went in that week and it showed something. Wont go into it here but its being dealt with now instead of being ignored. Should not have taken a letter but it did.”
Stuart, 58, Carlisle
Chronic pain
MRI requested that week after three years of 'lose weight and take ibuprofen'
“Reception told me twice the practice "doesnt do right to choose". They do, they just didnt know. The letter had the actual NHS choice framework in it so there was nothing to argue with. Referral went off the same week. Bit annoyed at how easy it turned out to be after 2 years of me getting nowhere.”
Mark, 49, Chelmsford
ADHD
Practice reversed a wrong 'we don't do Right to Choose', referral sent same week
“i actually wanted the refusal, sounds mad. i needed it in writing so i could take it further. Got the written no, used the stage 1 complaint template bit, and 3 weeks later the practice manager rang and the referral was suddenly possible after all. funny that.”
Denise, 50, Croydon
Long COVID
Used the written refusal to open a Stage 1 complaint, referral appeared 3 weeks later
“was so nervous about being the young girl who makes a fuss. my mum found this. it wrote it out with dates of every appointment id had and what happened at each one and it made it look as bad as it actually is. Ultrasound within 3 weeks and gynae in june. nobody said "period pain is normal" to me once after that letter.”
Aisha, 19, Birmingham
Endometriosis
Ultrasound in 3 weeks and a gynae appointment, no more 'period pain is normal'
“This is a hard one to get taken seriously because theres no nice guideline for it and the letter is honest about that, which i respected actually. It went down the route of my documented reactions and the right to be referred. Immunology accepted me. Took 2 goes, first letter got a no and i used the escalation one they give you. Dont give up after the first no is my advice.”
Rosa, 36, Brighton
MCAS
Immunology accepted her on the second letter after an initial no
“Very clear and it doesnt sound rude which i was worried about. Got referred to the menopause clinic after being told for 2 years that i was "just at that age". My only critisism is i wish there was a phone number to ask a question, but it did what it said and thats the main thing.”
Hilary, 55, Norwich
Menopause
Menopause clinic referral after two years of 'just at that age'
“My referral had apparently been "sent" in november. It hadnt. Nobody could tell me anything for 5 months. The letter asked for the date it was sent and the reference which they couldnt produce, so they just did it again properly. Appointment date came thru 2 weeks later. Frustrating that you need this but im glad it exists.”
Bilal, 35, Luton
Chronic back pain
Referral that was never actually sent got re-sent, appointment 2 weeks later
When the Finally Seen team shared the original letter approach online
Real reactions, lightly paraphrased for length — from the post that showed how a single NICE-cited letter changed the response a GP gave to a Long Covid patient after three years of dismissal. First names and last initial only. These are not paying-customer reviews.
“Just used your pro forma to write a letter to the GP on behalf of my son who has been seriously ill with Long Covid for 17 months. Thank you so much for this help.”
Lesley W.
“Thanks for sharing. It is very helpful.”
Shirley D.
“Bravo for your support of your mother. A lot of mental and emotional energy and focus required for someone who doesn't feel well.”
Debra G.
One letter. Three years of dismissal. One phone call from the GP the next day.
A NICE-cited letter written for a family member after three years of Long Covid appointments that went nowhere. The GP called the next afternoon. Finally Seen is the tool built so anyone can do the same — without needing to know which NICE guideline applies.
NHS-cited letter in 3 minutes · Refund if GP, ICB & PHSO all ignore you
We only publish what we can stand behind. No manufactured testimonials, no stock-photo patients. When our founding cohort gives us permission to share their outcomes, every one will include condition, timeline, and what the GP actually did.
The Finally Seen team