'two-tier NHS' as GPs allow fee-paying patients to jump the queue

Family doctors in Bournemouth have set up the first private GP service at which people who pay up to £145 a time will be seen faster and get longer appointments than their NHS patients.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/feb/08/two-tier-nhs-gps-allow-patients-pay-jump-the-queue-bournemouth?utm_source=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=blast2017-02-09

NHS: up to 4 week wait, 7 min appt

Private: same day £80 — 20 min
£145 — 40 mins

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Reply 1

Cherub012

I guess it's fine. Slightly costly, which is good.

At the end of the day they are businesses and not owned by the NHS.

But why would you need a 40 min appointment? :s-smilie:

Reply 2

Davij038

Disgusting.

That this is only available in Bournemouth.

Reply 3

L i b

Original post by Davij038

Disgusting.

That this is only available in Bournemouth.

Well, it's not really. There are plenty of GPs that provide private treatment across the UK. The only "first" that seems apparent in this is that one of the doctors in the practice is providing both in the same building, albeit with him only taking private appointments outside of normal appointment times.

Basically I'll agree with the consensus above: there's nothing remotely problematic about this. GPs are private contractors: their time when they are not dealing with NHS patients is entirely their own. Their practice buildings are privately owned and they can happily allow whoever they want to operate out of them. It does not try to cross-sell private services to NHS patients (although of course dentists do...) as you have to be on the separate practice list for the private practice.

Norman Lamb MP said "There will be a great temptation for some GPs involved to prioritise private work over NHS work. This would lead to NHS patients being treated as second-class citizens"

Well, obviously. Doctors already may choose to do this. The ultimate point however is that the NHS doesn't have the right to demand their time, and they are free to seek whatever employment they like.

The only way you could stop that from happening if for the NHS to ban all doctors from performing private work if they choose to work for the NHS. Not only would this completely fail - the BMA simply wouldn't wear it - if it was implemented it would see a mass exodus of doctors from the NHS and indeed most of the best and most talented doctors leaving.

Reply 4

Sharif92

I think this is a good idea.

Reply 5

sr90

Volunteer Team

Nothing wrong with this at all. Almost everywhere has the ability to pay extra for a better service, so why shouldn't healthcare?

To be honest i'd be happy to see charges implemented across the board for appointments. Do it in the same way as prescriptions are currently handed out so that the ill, the elderly, the unemployed, the disabled etc aren't disadvantaged.

Is it really that bad to see a GP though? I haven't used an NHS GP in years because I have private medical insurance, but a 4 week wait seems absolutely ridiculous!

I like this idea

Original post by sr90

I think it's alright so long as they reserve time slots for NHS patients and it doesn't effect those with medical conditions. What medical insurance are you with if you don't mind me asking? I was looking at a few and couldn't find any with GP visits

Reply 8

Drunk Punx

Original post by sr90

Nothing wrong with this at all. Almost everywhere has the ability to pay extra for a better service, so why shouldn't healthcare?

Because it creates an "us vs them" mentality, and seeing as that could be seen as prevalent throughout most aspects of life as it is where money's involved, for it to start to become apparent in a healthcare system that was founded on the basis of having free basic healthcare for all regardless of which walk of life you come from, this cannot be a good thing.

As for the "4 week wait" statement: I live in a town that has a 2 doctors surgeries that cater to a population of around 40,000, a majority of which are elderly. My old GP only done one or two days a week NHS, the rest of his work was BUPA. Bear in mind that this wasn't two fully staffed surgeries; it'd be a coin toss as to whether I see my doctor down the road or across town.
The point: I've never had to wait longer than a week, which I'm more than happy with considering that I pay sweet **** all for the privilege of having world class healthcare at my fingertips.

Why the **** anyone would need a 40, or even a 20, minute appointment is beyond me. You go in, tell doc what's up, they write you out a prescription or refer you to a specialist, boom, job done. That really doesn't take 40 minutes. Hell, I've sat on the can for longer than the amount of time most of my doctors appointments have taken.

Literally, the only upside to this, is that the NHS will, presumably, be getting more money... but whether the money paid goes to the NHS or straight in the doctors' pocket remains to be seen.

Reply 9

JamesN88

It makes a good headline but there's nothing untoward going on, the doctor in question is just moonlighting for extra cash. Besides if people who can afford it choose that option is reduces pressure on the NHS funded services.

Reply 10

SCIENCE :D

This is the start of the end for the NHS, *uck this country man, I can't wait to leave.

Reply 11

Maid Marian

Misleading. It's not a 'two tier NHS' as the private services offered are not part of the NHS! :rolleyes:

I see nothing wrong with it anyway.

Reply 12

JamesN88

It's also worth noting that is in Bournemouth, which is packed to the rafters with wealthy pensioners.

Reply 13

Chief Wiggum

If people are willing to pay, it's their money, and I don't see any issue.

Reply 14

MagicNMedicine

So rich metropolitan elites will get better access to health care than the working classes who voted Brexit thinking it was going to help the NHS.

Reply 15

Chief Wiggum

Original post by SCIENCE :D

This is the start of the end for the NHS, *uck this country man, I can't wait to leave.

So which other country with an NHS are you intending to move to...?

Reply 16

SCIENCE :D

Original post by Chief Wiggum

So which other country with an NHS are you intending to move to...?

Most countries have free healthcare systems nowadays,even Cuba has one. Anyway this country is too cold, I need warmth.

Reply 17

Percypig17

So much entitlement in the UK Healthcare system aha.

Just because you're not receiving immediate treatment doesn't necessarily mean you're being discriminated against. Many GPs already do private work and it makes sense that those services would be available at a shorter notice given people have to actually pay for them. Your actual access to care is pretty much identical, and seeing as most problems treated at the GP aren't very urgent it's not like you're going to die on not immediately gaining an appointment.

As well as that, just because there are elements of private work hardly indicates this is creating a two-tiered system throughout the entire NHS.

Reply 18

ChaoticButterfly

Original post by Percypig17

Just because you're not receiving immediate treatment doesn't necessarily mean you're being discriminated against.

You are being discriminated against on you ability to pay. Like most things in life. I just thought that healthcare was one important area where we had make some kind of progress in the UK.

Reply 19

Cherub012

Original post by Drunk Punx

Why the **** anyone would need a 40, or even a 20, minute appointment is beyond me. You go in, tell doc what's up, they write you out a prescription or refer you to a specialist, boom, job done. That really doesn't take 40 minutes. Hell, I've sat on the can for longer than the amount of time most of my doctors appointments have taken.

First 7 minutes diagnosis. The remaining 33 includes just having someone to talk to. It's almost homeopathy lmao.