Charging in the NHS

It's only been 3 days and I think I'm gonna give up the "30 topics, for 30 days" idea! My eyes are stinging and my head is pounding from attempting to do the research for today's topic! I think I'll save it for when I stop fasting later next month! For the rest of the month, I'll revert to typing about any random thoughts and go with the flow!

Briefly, following on from yesterday, I was discussing the blog with my wife and unsurprisingly she disagreed with my thoughts at the end of the blog. But, thinking about it, she actually made sense. Her point was that I shouldn't be so judgemental without having tried to interact and socialise first. At least that way, I would have tried to practice AMWNM eventually after earning their trust and respect, and then, if that didn't work, I would have every right to ignore them like I do currently! However, as always, I have thought of a potential counter-point. If people they do respect and trust can't change them, then what chance would I ever have, so why bother wasting energy in the first place?

My patients at the GP surgery have been really boring this week. the majority are coming in with some muscle ache or the other. If it's not the back, then it's the shoulder, or it's the knee or the ankle! Most of the time they can't remember what triggered it off in the first place. The history usually goes something like this: "I've had this ache in my shoulder/knee/back/etc for the past 2 weeks. Can't remember what started it off but it hasn't got any better, so I thought I'd come and see you." No-one ever takes any painkillers, which is always my first port of call! They "don't like to take tablets" or "wanted to leave it so that I could show the doctor" and when I suggest to initially try some painkillers and assess the progress, they're all happy and usually don't come back - I'm guessing the painkillers work! Why don't they ever come having tried the painkillers first? It would save so much time, energy and money!

I have a simple solution, the NHS should introduce a surcharge to see the doctor. Just a small £5 would ensure that people don't just make appointments for the sake of it! That way we would only see the proper problems that require our attention! Or maybe what would be better would be to charge a deposit of £5 and if the doctor felt they had a problem then they would be refunded the money, otherwise the surgery keeps it.

Another story comes to mind when thinking about the possibiliy of charging. After every morning session at the surgery, the GP's go on home visits to see really ill patients, generally the elderly who have no way of getting to the surgery. However, patients still try to manipulate the system. A mother rang up saying her child was poorly with a temperature and cough. She could drive to the surgery but the only reason she requested a home visit was because the washing machine repair guy was coming that morning and she didn't want to leave the house! She didn't want to rearrange her appointment with the repairer because it was easier to get a doctor to visit then it was to get the repair guy to fix the washing machine! When I asked her what was more important, her child's health or the washing machine she agreed that it was her child, but would I mind to come out and see him anyway??!! Eventually she agreed to cancel the repairer appointment and came to the surgery. Incidentally the child was not as poorly as she described, and she remained quite upset that she had been made to come in!

It's attitudes like that, that really take the p***. Because it was easier to get a doctor to visit, the mother tried to manipulate the system! If there was a charging system perhaps people like her wouldn't be so keen to take advantage! In the end, even though she agreed, as her doctor, if she refused to come andI refused to see her, if something serious was to happen to her child, I would be responsible and potentially accused of neglecting my duty as a doctor!

Ok, that's all I think, my head is just getting worse and worse and I've got a surgery in a couple of hours! Better end there.

Take care all,
Thoughts just flow, when do they have to make sense?