Titanic99 Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 In this brave new world of "all being in this together" to resolve the budget deficit it would seem that one of the losers are those people who need to see a G.P. The new Government has decided to remove some key targets from the previous Government, the first is that we should all see a Doctor with 48 hours and the second that we wait no longer than 4 hours in Accident and Emergency. I'm not sure how this isn't attacking key frontline services as promised by both Coalition members, but perhaps I can work it out the next time I'm sat in A and E waiting a bit longer than previously. Thanks Nick! http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/10364566.stm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HotPhil Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 I can walk-in to a walk-in centre 24/7 and see a doctor. I do this largely because I could never get an appointment with my preferred GP when I was actually ill. If only the 48 hour thing had actually been in place I might join you in condemning its removal. I'm quite happy with my access to free healthcare Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natjack Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 The new Government has decided to remove some key targets from the previous Government, the first is that we should all see a Doctor with 48 hours and the second that we wait no longer than 4 hours in Accident and Emergency.You're scaremongering about the removal of a totally meaningless target. That 48 hours was a totally spurious figure anyway. They wouldn't even make you an appointment for anything unless they could make it for within the 48 hours deadline. In other words it meant you have to keep ringing early every morning hoping to be able to get an appointment for that day, by the time you get one you're either better or dead. They should stop having appointments altogether and just let you go to the surgery and wait to be seen like in the old days. From what I'm told it was a much better system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex C. Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 I'm quite lucky with my doctors, it's rare I have to wait more than a day for an appointment, the other day I rang at 2pm and got an appointment for 3:50pm. However, with other surgeries, it's a nightmare. And if it is an actual emergency, I presume you can still speak to NHS direct who can arrange that you get an 'emergency slot'... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digsy Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 You're scaremongering about the removal of a totally meaningless target. That 48 hours was a totally spurious figure anyway. They wouldn't even make you an appointment for anything unless they could make it for within the 48 hours deadline. In other words it meant you have to keep ringing early every morning hoping to be able to get an appointment for that day, by the time you get one you're either better or dead. They should stop having appointments altogether and just let you go to the surgery and wait to be seen like in the old days. From what I'm told it was a much better system. How dare you stand up and speak out against another one of titanics labour fuelled attacks against the current government. How dare you speak out against the previous governments management of the right to see a g.p within 48 hours. Who do you think you are. This is Titanics moment of glory using a none story to attract the masses back to the labourite way of thinking, crunch, crash, bust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titanic99 Posted June 21, 2010 Author Share Posted June 21, 2010 You're scaremongering about the removal of a totally meaningless target. That 48 hours was a totally spurious figure anyway. They wouldn't even make you an appointment for anything unless they could make it for within the 48 hours deadline. In other words it meant you have to keep ringing early every morning hoping to be able to get an appointment for that day, by the time you get one you're either better or dead. They should stop having appointments altogether and just let you go to the surgery and wait to be seen like in the old days. From what I'm told it was a much better system. Not scaremongering at all, this is the current guidance from the NHS website which seems to be quite clear. "You should be able to see a GP within two working days. If you need advice from another healthcare professional, such as a nurse, you should be able to see them within one working day. However, if you don’t need to see someone straightaway, you should also be able to book an appointment more than two days ahead, For example: •you may not need to see someone so quickly, •you may want to see a particular GP, or •you may need an appointment at a particular time, or on a particular day." I wonder what this will be replaced with, perhaps the following: You have the right to see a Doctor when one is available to see you I'm sorry but if I was ill, I know which I'd prefer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natjack Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 How dare you stand up and ...Don't you mean "How VERY dare you?" :hihi: Titanic's moment of glory ... very good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titanic99 Posted June 21, 2010 Author Share Posted June 21, 2010 This is Titanics moment of glory using a none story to attract the masses back to the labourite way of thinking, crunch, crash, bust. I'm glad you think it is a non story, perhaps if you need to see a Doctor in the future you'll think differently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex C. Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 Except as I said before, GPs always have emergency slots available, and absolutely nothing will change. There is still a finite number of patients who can be seen, the target doesn't magically compress time. Unless doctors are squeezing more patients in to meet the target, in which case, isn't quality suffering? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titanic99 Posted June 21, 2010 Author Share Posted June 21, 2010 Except as I said before, GPs always have emergency slots available, and absolutely nothing will change. There is still a finite number of patients who can be seen, the target doesn't magically compress time. Unless doctors are squeezing more patients in to meet the target, in which case, isn't quality suffering? Not everything is an emergency though but people will still be suffering. Take my lad at the moment. He has a toe which is infected, we phoned the Doctors and got seen the same day. Now unless I'm wrong, under the current rules he needed to be seen within 48 hours and was. Now if the same thing happens next year there appears to be no compulsion to see him within specific timescales. Do you think this is right, because I don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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