Cherry-picking patients for smartphone GP service threatens NHS, doctors warn

[Northerner]

Pressure on existing GP practices will increase if an NHS service offering video consultations 'within minutes' to Londoners is allowed to exclude patients with complex needs, GP leaders have warned.

Patients in London - and the service will soon extend across the country - are being invited to switch from their existing GP practices to register with the new GP at Hand service. GP at Hand is offering patients video consultations via smartphones or computers 'typically in under two hours of booking' and face-to-face appointments at 'convenient city-centre locations' within 48 hours.

But although NHS rules bar traditional GP practices from refusing to register patients based on factors including their age, disabilities or medical conditions, the GP at Hand service will be able to reject patients who fall into any of the following groups:

• Women who are or may be pregnant
• Adults with a safeguarding need
• People living with complex mental health conditions
• People with complex physical, psychological and social needs
• People living with dementia
• Older people with conditions related to frailty
• People requiring end of life care
• Parents of children who are on the ‘Child at risk’ protection register
• People with learning difficulties
• People with drug dependence.

http://www.gponline.com/cherry-pick...ce-threatens-nhs-doctors-warn/article/1449392

(free registration)

 

[Amigo]

Pressure on existing GP practices will increase if an NHS service offering video consultations 'within minutes' to Londoners is allowed to exclude patients with complex needs, GP leaders have warned.

Patients in London - and the service will soon extend across the country - are being invited to switch from their existing GP practices to register with the new GP at Hand service. GP at Hand is offering patients video consultations via smartphones or computers 'typically in under two hours of booking' and face-to-face appointments at 'convenient city-centre locations' within 48 hours.

But although NHS rules bar traditional GP practices from refusing to register patients based on factors including their age, disabilities or medical conditions, the GP at Hand service will be able to reject patients who fall into any of the following groups:

• Women who are or may be pregnant
• Adults with a safeguarding need
• People living with complex mental health conditions
• People with complex physical, psychological and social needs
• People living with dementia
• Older people with conditions related to frailty
• People requiring end of life care
• Parents of children who are on the ‘Child at risk’ protection register
• People with learning difficulties
• People with drug dependence.

http://www.gponline.com/cherry-pick...ce-threatens-nhs-doctors-warn/article/1449392

(free registration)

What’s left? Quite a comprehensive list of exclusions there. Frankly anyone outside that list could probably be advised by a pharmacist! 🙄

 

[Northerner]

What’s left? Quite a comprehensive list of exclusions there. Frankly anyone outside that list could probably be advised by a pharmacist! 🙄

Perhaps the online docs aren't going to be 'real' docs! 😱

 

[Amigo]

Perhaps the online docs aren't going to be 'real' docs! 😱

The irony is that the very categories excluded are the people with the greatest need for a swift response!

Who decides what ‘complex’ physical needs are? Is diabetes ok as long as it’s not problematic? Do you need to opt out or be expelled from the service if a degree of depression then accompanies it.
Only ‘fit elderly’ may apply and certainly not if their relatives are fleecing them.

Seems to me to be a service for able bodied younger people in very good health, no social or emotional problems, no chance of pregnancy, no abusive relationships, no multiple or testing conditions and transient physical problems that require few diagnostic skills.
I’m only surprised they didn’t include no overweight, smokers or drinkers! 🙄

 

[Northerner]

Seems to me to be a service for able bodied younger people in very good health, no social or emotional problems, no chance of pregnancy, no abusive relationships, no multiple or testing conditions and transient physical problems that require few diagnostic skills.
I’m only surprised they didn’t include no overweight, smokers or drinkers! 🙄

Like much of the NHS being flogged off to the private sector, they only want the profitable, easy to handle 'business' I know it's supposed to be a bunch of practices running it, but they are using a private company to administer it all 🙄

 

[Amigo]

Like much of the NHS being flogged off to the private sector, they only want the profitable, easy to handle 'business' I know it's supposed to be a bunch of practices running it, but they are using a private company to administer it all 🙄

Absolutely agree northerner. This makes me furious and flies in the face of the first guiding principle of the NHS Constitution which says;

1.The NHS provides a comprehensive service, available to all irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, sexual orientation, religion, belief, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity or marital or civil partnership status. The service is designed to improve, prevent, diagnose and treat both physical and mental health problems with equal regard. It has a duty to each and every individual that it serves and must respect their human rights. At the same time, it has a wider social duty to promote equality through the services it provides, and to pay particular attention to groups or sections of society where improvements in health and life expectancy are not keeping pace with the rest of the population.

The very groups this initiative seeks to exclude! 😡

 

[grovesy]

Does not surprise me in the least.
They want the pilot to work so cherry pick patients.

 

[Ralph-YK]

Having to leave current GP practice can be a big issue. After all the time and effort, as patients, we've put in raining them up.

 

[Ralph-YK]

Excluding patients is Bad. I recon I'd fall under 'complex'. Actually complex without the quotes.

 

[Lilian]

I am wondering if the group of people who are eligible use that service instead of their GP would it not ease up the GP's to be able to see those not eligible quicker.

 

[Amigo]

I am wondering if the group of people who are eligible use that service instead of their GP would it not ease up the GP's to be able to see those not eligible quicker.

You would hope so Lilian but where are they taking these online GP’s from when there’s already a shortage of them?

 

[grovesy]

You would hope so Lilian but where are they taking these online GP’s from when there’s already a shortage of them?

Exactly.

 

[mikeyB]

You may find the useless GP you’ve been trying to leave for years turning up on the other end of a video consultation. What fun.🙄