tzijlstra Posted May 7, 2014 Share Posted May 7, 2014 Why should I pay Tax and NI and still have to pay to see a doctor. It's bad enough I have to pay £8 odd for prescriptions. I recently took a prescription to the chemist and out of the 8 people that came in after me no one else paid. That means 1 out of 9 paid which equates to 11% of people paying for medicines, no wonder the NHS is in a state. Rant over. I believe you will find that the charge wouldn't be because they need the money (although I am sure it would help) but because the NHS is in a state because too many people take it for granted (and thus make appointments that they subsequently miss, or make appointments simply because they can, without valid medical grounds). The number of people bobbing into A&E because they have a cold, or a child with mumps or whatever else is ridiculous. It is costing the NHS billions, if these people instead could go to their GP, which wouldn't be under so much pressure because people would actually show up, it would save them billions. We aren't too far off from more and more NHS services being spun off and becoming paid for and I wouldn't be surprised to see GPs being the next after dentistry has already become just that. It is either that, or making people understand that the NHS can only stay free if it isn't being abused at the point of entry, and that... seems unlikely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
autumn Posted May 7, 2014 Author Share Posted May 7, 2014 Why should I pay Tax and NI and still have to pay to see a doctor. It's bad enough I have to pay £8 odd for prescriptions. I recently took a prescription to the chemist and out of the 8 people that came in after me no one else paid. That means 1 out of 9 paid which equates to 11% of people paying for medicines, no wonder the NHS is in a state. Rant over. But you wouldn't have to pay if they just billed none attenders . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMR67 Posted May 7, 2014 Share Posted May 7, 2014 But you wouldn't have to pay if they just billed none attenders . I agree with billing non attenders but what are the chances of them coughing up (pardon the pun) any money. If someone doesn't pay and then goes to their GP with a serious illness is the doctor going to refuse to treat them because they owe him/her a tenner (or whatever it will be). Surely that would be breaking his/her Hipocratic oath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dutch Posted May 7, 2014 Share Posted May 7, 2014 If people knew how much that doctors time cost they be a bit more great full for what they get and not treat it as some sort of freebee to be ignored. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mecky Posted May 7, 2014 Share Posted May 7, 2014 Is this another one where the government is trying to make someone else take the rap? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliceBB Posted May 7, 2014 Share Posted May 7, 2014 The cost of administering the collection of the fines would exceed any revenue it generated. Besides, it's like trying to bale out the Titanic with a kid's bucket. What we need is a massive public education campaign on prime time TV to re-education people about when they should (and should not) go to A & E, their GP or their pharmacist. Surgeries and A & E depts are regularly overwhelmed by people who shouldn't be there...which makes it difficult for people who do need medical help to get seen. Plus, the govt. need to employ more doctors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medusa Posted May 7, 2014 Share Posted May 7, 2014 The cost of administering the collection of the fines would exceed any revenue it generated. Besides, it's like trying to bale out the Titanic with a kid's bucket. What we need is a massive public education campaign on prime time TV to re-education people about when they should (and should not) go to A & E, their GP or their pharmacist. Surgeries and A & E depts are regularly overwhelmed by people who shouldn't be there...which makes it difficult for people who do need medical help to get seen. Plus, the govt. need to employ more doctors. ^^^This. If you're charging for an appointment and people can't see the doctor until they've coughed up then you've got them there in front of you to hand over the money. If you're charging them when they DON'T turn up then you have to chase them, and that's a completely different matter and will cost, at very least, admin charges, postal charges and the cost of setting up payment terminals or phone/internet payment facilities. How many £10/20 penalties will it take to pay for every trust to employ someone to do all of the chasing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
autumn Posted May 7, 2014 Author Share Posted May 7, 2014 I suppose it would be difficult to enforce but something has to be done . 100's of appointments both at Gps and hospital clinics are being missed . I am someone with a serious condition who has had to wait 18 weeks for appointments because clinics are full ,it is upsetting ,stressful and downright annoying . I know there are people out there who are going through the same thing and it just isn't right !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister M Posted May 7, 2014 Share Posted May 7, 2014 I'd hate the prospect of charging to see a GP, even fining people if they don't attend (apart from chronic non attenders) to me it's wrong HOWEVER I really do get angry when I hear that over 90% of prescriptions are given out freely. This costs the NHS £100 Million per year, which is a staggering amount. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2371731/Prescription-cheats-robbing-NHS-100m-MPs-fury-scandalously-careless-encourages-chemists-hand-free-medicine-thousands.html I'm on medication and pay every month. I don't begrudge paying it because if I bought it on the open market it eould cost £35:00 per month, so I'm getting a good deal, even though I pay a prescription charge. If they need more money for the NHS this is where they can find a £100 million each year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted May 7, 2014 Share Posted May 7, 2014 There should be a rule: If you miss more than two appointments without good reason, you can't have any more appointments. You should be told to turn up at 8am when the surgery opens, and sit in the waiting room until there is a doctor free to see you. This might teach people a lesson? I don't think the answer is fining people - this would just result in people being unable to see the doctor and would punish those who could least afford it. My surgery has a kind of 'turn up and take your luck' arrangement where a nurse will see people without appointments and pass you over to a doctor if it's serious. This is quite good as it means the appointments don't get clogged up with rubbish, and if you do need to see someone urgently you can do by seeing the nurse first. ---------- Post added 07-05-2014 at 21:18 ---------- I'm on medication and pay every month. I don't begrudge paying it because if I bought it on the open market it eould cost £35:00 per month, so I'm getting a good deal, even though I pay a prescription charge. If they need more money for the NHS this is where they can find a £100 million each year Why is our subsidising your prescription to the sum of about £27 per month, worse than subsidising my sister to the sum of £19 per month? £27 is the difference between the cost of your medicine and what you pay, £19 is the same for my sister. The only difference is she gets hers free. What is even worse is charging people a £8 prescription fee for medicine that costs less than £8! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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