Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Just over half of GPs are in favour of the NHS charging a small fee for routine appointments, with many believing it is the only way of managing their workload and curbing rising patient demand, a Pulse survey has found.
Of the 440 GPs polled in the survey, 51% said they would support charging a small fee for GP appointments, compared with 36% who would not.
That represents a significant increase on the 34% of GPs who said they would support charging for appointments in a similar poll last September, and suggests many GPs are willing to consider more drastic solutions to reduce their growing workload.
The survey results come at a time when GPs have been reporting growing workload due to the imposed 2013 contract deal, with some willing to take a pay cut rather than bid for new work under four new DESs being offered this year, and worrying levels of GP burnout.
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/news/fi...ne-appointments/20003741.article#.UfIxTo22aSo
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Of the 440 GPs polled in the survey, 51% said they would support charging a small fee for GP appointments, compared with 36% who would not.
That represents a significant increase on the 34% of GPs who said they would support charging for appointments in a similar poll last September, and suggests many GPs are willing to consider more drastic solutions to reduce their growing workload.
The survey results come at a time when GPs have been reporting growing workload due to the imposed 2013 contract deal, with some willing to take a pay cut rather than bid for new work under four new DESs being offered this year, and worrying levels of GP burnout.
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/news/fi...ne-appointments/20003741.article#.UfIxTo22aSo
(free registration required)
It's interesting reading some of the comments on the Pulse article, many of them pointing out how it would not solve anything, just maybe stop some people from seeking help and therefore needing more expensive care later. Also, the idea that the charges could be means-tested, with 'poor' people 'only' paying ?10 - clearly this is imagined by someone who has never experienced financial hardship. The NHS was formed precisely so that people would be able to get care when needed, and not based on ability to pay. We all pay through our NI anyway, don't we? I'm sure all that money only ever goes to the health service... 
