It wouldn’t be a bad idea if we paid for GP appointments?

Based on what, exactly?

I think the people who don't show up are more likely to be vulnerable, people with memory problems, scared people, depression sufferers, people with high stress levels, etc. It's important to keep the door open for those patients as some of them are the most in need.

Let me guess - you're lucky enough not to have chronic illness which requires daily medication and monitoring? You're probably also lucky enough to have never been told by your consultant that they have no idea whats going on and you're constantly going for tests some of which are painful

Some of you need to check your privilege

You probably pay your fair share then. I apologise.

Sorry, my friend who opening tells me she can't be arsed working and is having a break gets more money doing nothing and is always going on about how the government should raise taxes etc

I work over 40 hours a week full time.
No benefits at all, I don't claim anything.
Not that it's anything to do with you.

It's the truth. Pay more
Let me guess u can't work full time??

Ok, you're on the wind up
Best off ignored.

Repeat offender 🤣
Rat?!
Fucking delight who gets off on being a dickhead online to other people
or a bot
Or someone who is fortunate enough to not have any health issues or is a little rich shit that doesn't care about others, I'm alright Jack mentality
or someone who isn't actually in the UK but feels the need to stick their oar in anyway
Or maybe a combination of those, who knows

Omg no
That would mean higher taxes for lay abouts who don't contribute.

I'm having to see mine weekly at the moment.
For regular tests and appointments and random scans.
I dread to think how much it would cost if we didn't have the NHS and I was reliant on being able to afford insurance or something like that.

I'd be interested to know this too (i.e. what happens if someone can't afford the £115).

As presumably anyone who gets a prescription exemption would also get an exemption for paying for the GP appointment charge…

Where did I say it worked for everybody?

You in the UK can have your own system for yourself, you can do whatever you like. However if it is so wonderful then why is MN full of posts from people who have been failed, badly failed in many cases, by this wonderful system? God knows, our own system is in crisis, but I rarely hear anything like the horror stories I see on here. Your current system seems to be badly flawed, but if that's what you want then good for you. As a nation you seem so blind to its faults - how many times do we see the good old the NHS is the envy of the world spouted on here. I can assure you, it really isn't.

(p.s. - there is much more to the world than just the UK and the US)

And if the reason for missing the appointment isn't your fault? So many people on here have said that letters haven't arrived on time so they don't even know about their appointments

This would be a brilliant.
id also add in, if you miss an appointment it doesn't come off your £115. Any missed appointment is on top.

They definitely aren't all giving a better service. Even the Australian system is crumbling and people are being priced out of medical care. The grass isn't always greener on the other side.

They seem to give a better service? How can you possibly know how well their own systems work for everybody in their country?

The NHS is very far from perfect, but that doesn't automatically make every other country's health systems a universal arcadia for their whole populations.

Several posters have explained the system in Ireland. Gp visits are charged but if you have a low income, or fall into certain categories (e.g child under 8, adult over 70) then you are entitled to either a medical card or a gp visit card. Medical card covers prescriptions, apart from a charge of €1 per item for over 70s €1.50 per item for everyone else. Prescription charges capped at €10 per month.

people with long term illnesses e.g. diabetes can apply for a long term illness card - all medication for that condition is then free.

everyone is entitled to to apply for the drug payment scheme which is capped at €80 per month per family.

breastcheck and smear test are free.

Public hospital appointments are free.

inpatient public hospital stays are free.

covid vaccines are free as are flu vaccines to vulnerable groups. As far as I’m aware anyone can get a Covid vaccine free if they want one.

approx. 46% of the population has private health insurance - this means there is a two tier system where those with insurance can get quicker access to consultant care, which many people find unfair. The flip side is private patients aren’t taking up spaces on waiting lists for the public system. Also the hse (health service executive, public system) often purchases private care to cut down waiting lists.

the system is very, very far from perfect. It has a lot of problems and can still be expensive for people - but OECD statistics show Ireland performs better than the OECD average on 8 out of 10 key indicators as opposed to the UK which performs better on 5 out of 10 key indicators.

edited to add prescribe contraception and hrt is also free

How can you possibly know that it works for everybody in all of these countries? How many languages do you speak and how much travelling do you do to speak to a proper representative sample in all of them?

It might work well for the majority, but what about the rest?

The USA is supposedly the richest country in the world, yet millions of people there are cut off from essential healthcare and either have to suffer or die as a result.

Why so snooty about us in the UK wanting our own system for ourselves? Nobody here is telling other countries that they shouldn't choose how they do things for themselves. We are indeed 'special' in the sense that every country is special - it doesn't make us arrogant for wanting ti make our own decisions for us. Are the French arrogant for insisting on speaking French in their country and not switching the national language to English, because 'they think they're special'?

I do agree that as a stand alone policy it might not be the best. People are fed up enough as it is but we do have to make changes and moving towards a European model does seem the way to go for me.

I do think that people generally don't tend to show much respect for things which appear to be free but the NHS is far from free, for people who pay tax anyway.

Then it could be considered as part of a wider restructure but probably not as a standalone project.

I agree with charging obvious timewasters though like missed appointments.

I would want a better service before i started paying more for it, and also to know exactly where my money is going. NHS pisses money up the wall.

I would also consider the adverse effect on women compared to men.

Women may need to visit the GP for more issues related to contraception, periods, pregnancy/postpartum issues and menopause.

It would be a terrible idea- another step towards privatising healthcare, put people off going which would cost the NHS more in the long run, and penalise those who can’t afford it.
it’d also creep up in cost … we’d end up with a 2-tier service. I say this as someone who could afford it too.

I see that nobody seems to want to respond to the posters who point out that almost every other country in the world charges.

Their health systems also seem to give a better service.

I believe 95% of prescribing are dispensed free of charge.