ITS COMING PAY AS GO TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR

[Ken L]

We don't live in Ireland, and we don't live in France. We have a system here that has been running a long time, and to introduce a charge without a proper build up and preparation, will cost more in the long term. I can see many people putting off visits to the GP, until it's too late to have effective treatment, leading to more expensive treatment/care later. This happened with dental charges, and took time to settle down.

If we are going down this road, then it's no good saying, "something has to be done, we'll do this", like so many Governmental 'knee jerk' decisions. The end result could be very costly, both financially, and in terms of human life.

 

John.

And the putting off of visits to a doctor that would diagnose disease early is exactly why I would rather keep free GP consultations (with appropriate checks on entitlement to free care) and replace the current free prescriptions with a nominal charge set just above the cost of over the counter medication.

[chesters1]

The prescription charge is a two edged sword ,my mother in law was never told it was free prescriptions for the elderly and my mrs sister was to thick to know herself so she had been paying for nearly two decades ,my head bailiff also didnt realise and his mrs had been paying for 22 years ,one he said was for asparin when it was a fraction of the price in a supermarket.

 

When you say over the counter medicine i hope thats generic not the rip off branded version which should be pointed out to customers by law a choice not a necessity as it the same bloody stuff

Edited April 1, 2014 by chesters1

[Ken L]

The prescription charge is a two edged sword ,my mother in law was never told it was free prescriptions for the elderly and my mrs sister was to thick to know herself so she had been paying for nearly two decades ,my head bailiff also didnt realise and his mrs had been paying for 22 years ,one he said was for asparin when it was a fraction of the price in a supermarket.

 

When you say over the counter medicine i hope thats generic not the rip off branded version which should be pointed out to customers by law a choice not a necessity as it the same bloody stuff

 

Yes, makes you wonder why it relies on self reporting when all of the information required to detirmine entitlement to the current free prescription scheme (and for that matter, entitlement to free NHS care) is held on government databases of what was at one time the same department as healthcare provision when it was the DHSS.

Anyone remember Blair's promis of "Joined up government" from way back in 1997?

 

When I say over the counter medication, I mead drugs that can be purchased without a prescription - Ibuprofen, Paracetamol, cough medicine, Certazine for hayfever etc.

Edited April 1, 2014 by Ken L

[gozzer]

And the putting off of visits to a doctor that would diagnose disease early is exactly why I would rather keep free GP consultations (with appropriate checks on entitlement to free care) and replace the current free prescriptions with a nominal charge set just above the cost of over the counter medication.

 

I would like to see some kind of charge for missed appointments, (without a reasonable reason). My surgery has a screen telling how many appointments missed the previous month, I was there last week, and it said over 600 in February!

Although I'm old enough get free prescriptions, I would agree with a nominal charge, but with one provisor, short term cases that need many items. When I had a branchial cyst, (at first thought to be cancer), it took me two years to get them to remove it. During that time I spent 5 periods in hospital, covering three months in total, while they did tests to find the cause of the infection. On four of those periods they ended up draining the area of my neck, and I had a week of visiting the district nurse to clean and dress the wound. Each time I had to pay for antibiotics, dressing packs, draining wicks, micropore tape,etc, each with a prescription charge. When I finally persuaded them to remove it, I had a big hole in my neck, that again needed the whole lot again, only more of it. I was lucky that the district nurse I saw made provision, by over ordering on elderly patients, and stockpiling for such cases as me. That saved me over £50 that I could ill afford after so much time on unpaid sick leave.

 

John.

[Clifftop]

a missed appointment at my local Drs is charged at $10 each time.

[gozzer]

a missed appointment at my local Drs is charged at $10 each time.

 

That's about £5.50 in our money Fred, sounds about right to me.

 

John.

[Ken L]

I would like to see some kind of charge for missed appointments, (without a reasonable reason). My surgery has a screen telling how many appointments missed the previous month, I was there last week, and it said over 600 in February!

Although I'm old enough get free prescriptions, I would agree with a nominal charge, but with one provisor, short term cases that need many items. When I had a branchial cyst, (at first thought to be cancer), it took me two years to get them to remove it. During that time I spent 5 periods in hospital, covering three months in total, while they did tests to find the cause of the infection. On four of those periods they ended up draining the area of my neck, and I had a week of visiting the district nurse to clean and dress the wound. Each time I had to pay for antibiotics, dressing packs, draining wicks, micropore tape,etc, each with a prescription charge. When I finally persuaded them to remove it, I had a big hole in my neck, that again needed the whole lot again, only more of it. I was lucky that the district nurse I saw made provision, by over ordering on elderly patients, and stockpiling for such cases as me. That saved me over £50 that I could ill afford after so much time on unpaid sick leave.

 

John.

 

It's human nature to take things for granted when they come at no personal cost so I'm not suprised by 600 missed appointments a month.

I'd be with you on penalising patients who miss appointments but my job used to involve a lot of calls to doctors and other NHS facilities and the number of them that can be virtually impossible to get through to on the phone is shocking - if patients can't get through to cancel appointments, how can you penalise them for missing them?

Some internal restructuring required before implementing such a plan methinks....

 

Something similar to what you describe regarding prescription items that are required at short notice is already in place in many hospitals. I was in A&E last night (I've strained my hip and torm all the muscles in the back of my right leg) and was expecting a script but instead was sent home with pain killers and anti inflammarories at no charge.

[rob.imk2]

I too agree with a charge for missed appointments as it is hard enough getting an appointment . I was in my doctors yesterday and there were 321 missed appointments last month

[Sportsman]

The fact is that this is never going to happen, it is just a suggestion by a good ideas club that will never see the light of day.

It is true that the NHS has been operating for many years. That is one of its problems. It is based on a 1940s model that does not work as well 66 years later.

Everybody involved in healthcare in the UK knows that changes need to be made but successive governments are terrified to make them. It is just a game of political ping pong with each side claiming that the NHS is safe in their hands. Meanwhile it gets further and further unfit for purpose.

The end result is that the UK has a health service that is very expensive and is not as good as it could or should be.

The losers are the patients.

[gozzer]

My GPs has an answering service if you can't get to speak to anyone. You just leave a message cancelling the appointment, and they get back to you if needed. They've also started an online booking system, (that doesn't help those without internet), you can book appointments ahead, and cancel if needed.

 

My cyst treatment was about 22 yrs ago Ken, I did get some short term supplies from the hospital when discharged, but I needed them for longer. The packs were all sterile so had to be replaced once opened.

 

John.