Patients who do not use GP for five years 'may be barred from practice'

[Northerner]

Patients who do not visit their GP for five years could be barred from their doctor’s surgery under plans being developed in the east of England.

Under the move, patients who have not seen their GP for five years will be sent two letters asking them to respond. If they do not get in touch to say they still wish to be registered with their GP, they will be removed from the GP practice list.

GPs are paid for every patient on their list – in 2013/14, the average GP practice received funding worth £136 for each registered patient. The drive by the NHS England regional team – known as list cleansing - is intended to cut costs to theNHS. The idea is to find out whether patients no longer require services or have moved house, left the country or died.

But critics have warned that “ghost patients” are being removed inappropriately as part of such drives.

http://www.theguardian.com/society/...gp-for-five-years-may-be-barred-from-practice

I wouldn't be surprised if these 'ghost patient' payments are actually keeping some surgeries afloat - remove them and it may increase the funding crisis

 

[Ally beetle]

I think the reason they are doing this is so GPs cannot claim for patients that are dead or left the area or seasonal workers or people who don't need a doctor. GPs are a crafty lot and they earn extra if you have a condition like diabetes, they are supposed to see you regurly to manage your condition like checking feet etc. My GP is so lazy they do not want to see me just earn extra for no extra work they are a greedy lot Doctors in my opinion

 

[Andy HB]

It seems sensible to me, so long as someone isn't on an extended holiday when these letters are sent! I can foresee problems with this idea! I hope proper safeguards will be put in place (but I bet they won't).

 

[Pumper_Sue]

My Landlord hasn't seen a GP for about 50 years, I did manage to get him registered with one as a precaution due to his age now. So will have to have a word with them to make sure they do not remove him from their books.

 

[Northerner]

I imagine most of us will be fairly safe! 🙄

 

[AlisonM]

I'm lucky to go five weeks without an appointment of some sort!

 

[HOBIE]

All my life I would not be capable of that but my Dad would pass no bother 🙂

 

[trophywench]

Well your Dad shouldn't actually pass, at the age he must be by now (unless he was only 11 when the fathered you! LOL) Hobie - has the surgery not sent for him to do an MOT? Has he not had an Aortic Aneurism scan?