NHS whats happened?

[valiant]

Teddy Lop said:

I'd pay to see a GP right now; it beats the current service of not paying and not being able to see a GP. I've got something that I'm concerned about, probably nothing but might be something serious and I can't get past "all appointments are gone, try again tomorrow haha", there's not even an effective triage for if you think you have something bad, it's just "all appointments gone, computer says no". I guess I'll just wander into a&e when I can afford a half-day.

.

Paying a tenner or whatever doesn’t suddenly magic up some appointments. The same inherent problems will remain.

All that’ll happen is that we’ll have the exact same issues we have now plus it’ll now cost you a tenner for the privilege.

It’s a stupid idea,

[anonymous-user]

Teddy Lop said:

I'd pay to see a GP right now; it beats the current service of not paying and not being able to see a GP. I've got something that I'm concerned about, probably nothing but might be something serious and I can't get past "all appointments are gone, try again tomorrow haha", there's not even an effective triage for if you think you have something bad, it's just "all appointments gone, computer says no". I guess I'll just wander into a&e when I can afford a half-day.

The real pith take is I'm watching the snooker and every single ad break has an NHS commercial telling me "if I don't feel right, speak to someone". They're using our contributions to effectively gaslight us at this stage it seems.

This is how it works.

If you phone you will be lucky to get an appointment.

If you use eConsult, you’ll have your questionnaire assessed and hear from the Surgery within a few days.

If you walk in to the surgery, you will be seen within an hour, guaranteed.

People default to the first because they are inherently lazy. The second requires you to fill out a form online and takes about ten minutes, you’ll get a telephone call and possibly a referral. The final option is the most effort but gets the desired result.

Alternatively call 111 between 2300 and 0600 and you’ll be spoken to promptly

[Sheepshanks]

Teddy Lop said:

I'd pay to see a GP right now; it beats the current service of not paying and not being able to see a GP. I've got something that I'm concerned about, probably nothing but might be something serious and I can't get past "all appointments are gone, try again tomorrow haha", there's not even an effective triage for if you think you have something bad, it's just "all appointments gone, computer says no". I guess I'll just wander into a&e when I can afford a half-day.

I don't know how widespread it is, but our rural practice has an eConsult service that's worked pretty well for us. It's a bit of a faff to fill in the form (asks a lot of details) but unfailingly a Dr calls the next day and that has often resulted in a f2f appt.

Ringing them is absolutely hopeless - I don't know how anyone gets an appt. Maybe they're all booked by Drs after eConsults!

[pquinn]

pablo said:

This is how it works.

If you phone you will be lucky to get an appointment.

If you use eConsult, you’ll have your questionnaire assessed and hear from the Surgery within a few days.

If you walk in to the surgery, you will be seen within an hour, guaranteed.

People default to the first because they are inherently lazy.

What a load of bks.

[anonymous-user]

scenario8 said:

Charging to visit a GP or A&E is going to be a difficult sell to the UK electorate/public/media. There are charges for healthcare elsewhere (prescriptions, medicines, equipment, social care, dentistry) but we do appear to have convinced ourselves those two (GPs and A&E) are special and different. I suspect charges for these services in other comparable countries will also be ignored or downplayed.

To be honest I’m surprised he’s come out to suggest or support the idea.

Let’s be honest, there has been a sustained attack on “free at the point of use” healthcare for about 12 years, the Daily Mail have led the charge but other papers have been more subtle. It’s clear the Tories want us to move to a US style system because it means they are no longer required to fund it and they can profit from the sale plus it benefits their donors. For them it’s win, win and win. Within a decade we’ll all be paying £100+ a month for the same level of service.

[pquinn]

pablo said:

Let’s be honest, there has been a sustained attack on “free at the point of use” healthcare for about 12 years, the Daily Mail have led the charge but other papers have been more subtle. It’s clear the Tories want us to move to a US style system because it means they are no longer required to fund it and they can profit from the sale plus it benefits their donors. For them it’s win, win and win. Within a decade we’ll all be paying £100+ a month for the same level of service.

The nugget at the end is the best bit, considering that'd be a serious cost saving compared to what the taxpayer current pours in.

[Sheepshanks]

pquinn said:

pablo said:

If you walk in to the surgery, you will be seen within an hour, guaranteed.

People default to the first because they are inherently lazy.

What a load of bks.

One of our (adult) daughters was waiting for the quack and a young woman wandered in and sat down. When the doc came out this other woman jumped up as he called daughter's name and went into his room. She asked reception what was going on and they had no idea who she was. She was in there for ages too.

I was in a week or so ago and an old bloke came in for a blood test a day early and they wouldn't do it - he was polite and did the 'I'm a silly old sod' thing but the receptionist was having none of it.

[Teddy Lop]

pablo said:

This is how it works.

If you phone you will be lucky to get an appointment.

If you use eConsult, you’ll have your questionnaire assessed and hear from the Surgery within a few days.

If you walk in to the surgery, you will be seen within an hour, guaranteed.

People default to the first because they are inherently lazy. The second requires you to fill out a form online and takes about ten minutes, you’ll get a telephone call and possibly a referral. The final option is the most effort but gets the desired result.

Alternatively call 111 between 2300 and 0600 and you’ll be spoken to promptly

I don't know if any of these options are possible with my surgery - they certainally don't offer or advise them - only parrot "call back tomorrow" when I ask them how it's possible to the doc.

[anonymous-user]

pquinn said:

pablo said:

Let’s be honest, there has been a sustained attack on “free at the point of use” healthcare for about 12 years, the Daily Mail have led the charge but other papers have been more subtle. It’s clear the Tories want us to move to a US style system because it means they are no longer required to fund it and they can profit from the sale plus it benefits their donors. For them it’s win, win and win. Within a decade we’ll all be paying £100+ a month for the same level of service.

The nugget at the end is the best bit, considering that'd be a serious cost saving compared to what the taxpayer current pours in.

I don't think you understand how private health care works...

[272BHP]

GetCarter said:

...and for the 3 million people over 65 that don't own a smartphone, or the 1 million without a debit/credit card?

As it's entirely optional they don't pay.

[pquinn]

pablo said:

pquinn said:

pablo said:

Let’s be honest, there has been a sustained attack on “free at the point of use” healthcare for about 12 years, the Daily Mail have led the charge but other papers have been more subtle. It’s clear the Tories want us to move to a US style system because it means they are no longer required to fund it and they can profit from the sale plus it benefits their donors. For them it’s win, win and win. Within a decade we’ll all be paying £100+ a month for the same level of service.

The nugget at the end is the best bit, considering that'd be a serious cost saving compared to what the taxpayer current pours in.

I don't think you understand how private health care works...

If it's all privatised like you think it will be and the government no longer needs to fund it like you said, then that's a big wedge of cash per person not being spent on it. More than £100/month you think we'd be paying someone else.

Unless you didn't understand your own words that you wrote?

[Sheepshanks]

Teddy Lop said:

I don't know if any of these options are possible with my surgery - they certainally don't offer or advise them - only parrot "call back tomorrow" when I ask them how it's possible to the doc.

If they use eConsult it should be on their website or search here: https://econsult.net/nhs-patients (I had to be quite specific with practice name to find ours).

[Carl_Manchester]

Teddy Lop said:

The real pith take is I'm watching the snooker and every single ad break has an NHS commercial telling me "if I don't feel right, speak to someone". They're using our contributions to effectively gaslight us at this stage it seems.

the NHS is a busted flush but it surprises me how many people don't phone 111 and talk to a GP, I usually get called back in under two hours. it's usually an hour to speak to a doctor via 111.

my local GP in Keston (G.London) was so ste that calling 111 became the default approach and that was four years ago, before the pandemic.

[monkfish1]

pablo said:

pquinn said:

pablo said:

Let’s be honest, there has been a sustained attack on “free at the point of use” healthcare for about 12 years, the Daily Mail have led the charge but other papers have been more subtle. It’s clear the Tories want us to move to a US style system because it means they are no longer required to fund it and they can profit from the sale plus it benefits their donors. For them it’s win, win and win. Within a decade we’ll all be paying £100+ a month for the same level of service.

The nugget at the end is the best bit, considering that'd be a serious cost saving compared to what the taxpayer current pours in.

I don't think you understand how private health care works...

If i can get resonable healthcare for £100 a month, ill sign up now!! Absolute bargain

However, not going to happen.

Will just be left to die waiting for an ambulance instead. Thats OK according to grant shapps. Unless its becuase of a strike. Then its not ok.

[Johnnytheboy]

The people who make up the vast majority of NHS usage would be exempt from any charges.

Sounds like a great idea, but would make sod all difference.

[Teddy Lop]

valiant said:

Teddy Lop said:

I'd pay to see a GP right now; it beats the current service of not paying and not being able to see a GP. I've got something that I'm concerned about, probably nothing but might be something serious and I can't get past "all appointments are gone, try again tomorrow haha", there's not even an effective triage for if you think you have something bad, it's just "all appointments gone, computer says no". I guess I'll just wander into a&e when I can afford a half-day.

.

Paying a tenner or whatever doesn’t suddenly magic up some appointments. The same inherent problems will remain.

All that’ll happen is that we’ll have the exact same issues we have now plus it’ll now cost you a tenner for the privilege.

It’s a stupid idea,

Well someones making money - just paid £40 for a box of naproxen from an "online" pharmacy.

Tried my surgerys repeat prescription form - but despite it being on my repeat prescription list, as I haven't had any for a few years they reply that I have to see a GP first! I reply asking how I achieve this when they're constantly never available, they reply that I need to call at 8am... Yeah, lets hope you wake up with gout at 5am and no effective meds you turd.

Seriously though the wall of indifference..

[hairykrishna]

pablo said:

I don't think you understand how private health care works...

I tend to agree with your point but private healthcare is likely to cost us a lot more than that. The NHS costs about 300/person/month. The US system costs them about 800.

[Sheepshanks]

Teddy Lop said:

.... I reply asking how I achieve this when they're constantly never available, they reply that I need to call at 8am... Yeah, lets hope you wake up with gout at 5am and no effective meds you turd.

Seriously though the wall of indifference..

It's almost more annoying knowing they can do stuff if they want to - I was refused a biopsy on Tuesday morning due to high blood pressure - my wife called at the docs on the way to pick me up and a bit of leaning on the receptionist and a slot was created for me same day, albeit at a different satellite surgery, just to make it that bit more awkward for the patient.

Mind you, the doc I saw was a locum (although apparently a regular for years but we'd never heard of him) and it was the quickest appt ever, I barely sat down. Bearing in mind I was there for high BP it was somewhat bemusing that he didn't check my BP!

[loafer123]

Sheepshanks said:

It's almost more annoying knowing they can do stuff if they want to - I was refused a biopsy on Tuesday morning due to high blood pressure - my wife called at the docs on the way to pick me up and a bit of leaning on the receptionist and a slot was created for me same day, albeit at a different satellite surgery, just to make it that bit more awkward for the patient.

Mind you, the doc I saw was a locum (although apparently a regular for years but we'd never heard of him) and it was the quickest appt ever, I barely sat down. Bearing in mind I was there for high BP it was somewhat bemusing that he didn't check my BP!

It sounds like your “leaning” waived their responsibility to check…

[andyA700]

pquinn said:

pablo said:

This is how it works.

If you phone you will be lucky to get an appointment.

If you use eConsult, you’ll have your questionnaire assessed and hear from the Surgery within a few days.

If you walk in to the surgery, you will be seen within an hour, guaranteed.

People default to the first because they are inherently lazy.

What a load of bks.

I totally agree. I went to the surgery (virtually empty) tried to get an appointment and was told that it would be middle of April at the earliest. I then said, that they had half a dozen people queuing up, three people sitting down waiting to be seen, so what is the problem? I then told the stroppy receptionist, that the last time I had seen a doctor face to face in this surgery, was May 2019.
The whole system is broken.