£25 to see the Doctor?

Carl31

SingleSue wrote: »

It would put me off going to the doctor and I would not be the only one. That would be dangerous in my opinion as those already reticent about seeing the doctor would become more so on a purely budgeting angle.

I'm not one to run to my doctor at the slightest thing either, I rarely see him even though I probably should go more often but to introduce charging would have me sitting there thinking if I can afford it, should I buy food/pay a bill etc or see the doctor...the food for my family and bills would win each time.

So if you were genuinely ill, really concerned for your health, checked all other resources like NHS direct and a visit to your GP was required, you would have to consider the cost? even if it was life threatening?

Theres not much point paying for 'stuff' if you're too ill to use it

IronWolf

This is a stupid idea. What about people with chronic conditions that need to see the doctor very often? Over the last year I've had to see my GP maybe 1-2x a month, partly because of their sheer incompetence, partly because I have a chronic condition that needs constant care.

f**k paying £25.

bugslet

Carl31 wrote: »

So if you were genuinely ill, really concerned for your health, checked all other resources like NHS direct and a visit to your GP was required, you would have to consider the cost? even if it was life threatening?

Theres not much point paying for 'stuff' if you're too ill to use it

Problem is, that some things that are niggling, but not seemingly life threatening can go on to be so. My closest friend died from lung cancer - she had an ache in her shoulder that wouldn't go away and pesumed it was job related muscle injury. Who knows if she had gone to the GP earlier, if she would be alive now or not, but in that case, it would potentially put people off going.

It wouldn't bother me TBH, but then I don't have a chronic condition like Iron Wolf and rarely see the doctor and can afford it.

I'd rather see a charge for those who fail to show up for appointments and make appointments for silly reasons - though it would be difficult to do that objectively, I should think.

SingleSue

Carl31 wrote: »

So if you were genuinely ill, really concerned for your health, checked all other resources like NHS direct and a visit to your GP was required, you would have to consider the cost? even if it was life threatening?

Theres not much point paying for 'stuff' if you're too ill to use it

All I am saying is that it would make me think even harder about whether I needed to see a doctor and if money was tight and food needed to be purchased or a bill needed to be paid, then that would come first as my family has always come before my health (to my detriment admittedly).

Jennifer_Jane

Ironically, it would make me go to the doctor more frequently, as I tend not to in order not to waste NHS resources. Also, I'm used (having lived abroad for so many decades) to having to pay for doctor's appointments.

Nevertheless, this is wrong on every level, and particularly wrong politically. Also £25 is far too much.

What would happen when the doctor has asked you to come in, or with chronic problems. (Apologies, just seen IronWolf has covered this too).

No, I would not support this.

Regarding people not turning up for appointments, my dentist texts me automatically. That would surely help, and presumably people can then phone the surgery if something has come up. I realise the dental thing is different because appointments are made so far in advance. But still!

bugslet

Jennifer_Jane wrote: »

Ironically, it would make me go to the doctor more frequently, as I tend not to in order not to waste NHS resources. Also, I'm used (having lived abroad for so many decades) to having to pay for doctor's appointments.

Nevertheless, this is wrong on every level, and particularly wrong politically. Also £25 is far too much.

+1

I feel if it is a minor worry, then I don't want to take up time, but I'd still rather know what is wrong and then have the concern niggling away for weeks.

Mojisola

SingleSue wrote: »

All I am saying is that it would make me think even harder about whether I needed to see a doctor and if money was tight and food needed to be purchased or a bill needed to be paid, then that would come first as my family has always come before my health (to my detriment admittedly).

This is indeed what will happen. My parents were born before the National Health came in and seeing the doctor was a last resort. My Mum used to say how worried the children felt if anyone in the family was taken to the doctor because it meant they were seriously ill.

The result may have been that people with minor illnesses that clear up by themselves or with home remedies didn't bother the doctor but also that people put off paying for the doctor until they were really ill and so needed much more medical attention or died.

lazer

This is wrong - health care should be free at the point of access.

Many people will not visit the doctor when they should if they had to pay and delaying a visit can make things worse and can cost the NHS more in the long run.

I visit my doctor once every 6 months for a repeat prescription of the contraception pill (as they have to take my blood pressure) and would really resent paying £25 for this 2 minunte visit.

CLAPTON

People are dieing now because doctors have insufficient time to spend with them and A&E are too busy too.

Whilst some of the problems are because the medical profession are very badly organised, part of the problem is the time wasted on people who either aren't ill or don't turn up for appointments.

So we could do nothing about it because whatever is done will disadvantage some-one some-where.

Mojisola

Jennifer_Jane wrote: »

Regarding people not turning up for appointments, my dentist texts me automatically. That would surely help, and presumably people can then phone the surgery if something has come up. I realise the dental thing is different because appointments are made so far in advance. But still!

Our surgery sends a reminder text about appointments.

I've spent a lot of time sitting in GP and hospital clinic waiting rooms, not being seen until 30 - 45 minutes after my appointment time, looking at the signs that tell you how many patients failed to turn up for appointments and thinking "Thank goodness! If everyone turned up I'd be waiting even longer before I got to see a doctor."

It's not as if the doctors are sitting there with nothing to do during the "missed" appointment.