Would you pay to see the doctor?

[justasking111]

The IMF has said that the government will need to raise taxes. One way is NHS charges. This will be means tested I should add. It's being covered in the financial times, telegraph and others but hidden behind a pay wall. I don't know how to archive, if anyone else does please do.

I don't know which one I would choose, it's a thorny problem.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/07/25/raise-taxes-working-people-charge-for-nhs-imf/

Yes, if it would help improve the service the NHS provides. We pay for dentists and vets, so why not GPs.

Yes.

Yes - I do now as am in Jersey. It means you receive a decent consultation. Secondary care is free.

No I wouldn't. There's lots of ways they could cut the never-ending black hole of the NHS money before charging people. As a side there's no way they will scrap the triple lock they don't have the balls.

Yes, I would pay, but I feel that everyone should pay something, no matter how small, including people on benefits. How else do we ensure people don’t take advantage of the system (for example by asking for doctors appts all the time just because they are lonely and need someone to talk to - we see this a lot) just because it’s free?

Yes!

Yes but I’d expect a premium service - so priority over others who weren’t paying. I know this is wrong and unethical by the way, but I think it’s what would happen, so probably not a good idea.

I’d love to see a “lonely” person get a GPs appointment at my Doctors. The only way to get an appointment is by completing an online form - you can’t make an appointment if you’re in the Doctors for something else. I think actually a charge would prevent people from accessing help in the early stages of an illness when it’s most treatable in the same way they probably don’t go to the dentist / A&E until they have to

Yes.

@justasking111 use archive.ph and input the url

I would, but that’s easy for me to say as I have private health at work, which includes GP appointments. I’d be concerned that having to pay to see a GP will worsen health outcomes and cost more than it will save, Of those options in the headlines, I would scrap the triple lock and widen access to the pension credit a bit. There are two pensioners in my family. One has a generous private pension and a substantial inheritance. The other gets the new basic state pension only, so just above the threshold for pension credit. In times of financial difficulty for the country, it’s not right that the richer pensioner benefits from the triple lock.

No the difference with dentists and vets is you tend to visit and get a diagnosis, treatment plan at the first visit. With a doctor, it’s often trial and error on their part, consultation for advice rather than treatment etc etc. I think it would lead to a number of people avoiding the GP and serious things being missed.

I'd prefer not to.

I think it will just deter people in the squeezed middle from seeking help/medical advice early, meaning it costs so much more to treat them down the line.

I don't really want to live in a society that financially penalises the sick.

I do think having to pay would mean people would only see the Doctor if they really needed to. Rather than going for minor ailments (which I’ve been guilty of in my younger years)

I have used private doctors for my children. Gp surgery refused to do routine vitals check for my children with adhd. This is required for monitoring effect of medication (amphetamines) and prescribing meds.
To add context, prior to going private, our 14yr old was in mental health crisis, only partially attending school and home-life for all of us (including siblings) was very very distressing. Our GP amd school also begged nhs (via CAMHS) for help. They agreed he needs help. We are on a 2 year waiting list for ADHD/ASD and an 18 week wait for MH support. This would be inital appointments only, then enter a new waiting list for medications and counselling. We are personally paying for private prescriptions, counselling and ongoing monitoring. We are not a high earners. University saving fund has gone…but better that he reaches that age.
I would very happily pay a nominal charge to see NHS if it meant that it was better resourced and wait times were reduced before the health conditions become unnecessarily crippling and less children missed school, parents unable to work full time, reduced the risk of these children not contributing to society as.an adult and less young people lost lives to poor mental health.
i am
mot an advocate for private healthcare but what we have now is dangerously and causes preventable longterm harm.
The improvement in my child and family life is phenomenal. Back
from the brink of despair.

Or alternatively, that the wealthy could go for whatever minor whim they wanted attention for; whilst the very poor would have to put up and shut up about serious life-threatening medical conditions.

A bit like with smoking, where the chosen governmental method to deter people from doing it is via reasonably high taxes; but in reality, it means that the poor are heavily discouraged/prevented from (legally) smoking (no bad thing at all imho for all people) whereas the rich categorically have no such strictures whatsoever.

So it's raising taxes for you then.

Yes

Introducing a system where patients can pay to see a GP risks creating a two-tier healthcare model. Those who can afford to pay would effectively receive a priority service, while others may be left with a second-class standard of care. Given that such a model would require surgeries to operate with profit in mind, there is a genuine concern that it could be open to misuse or exploitation.

Well our surgery doesn't see the lonely anymore. It's either a form to fill in via messages or a phone consultation unless they need you to be physically present for some reason. I think I'd baulk at being charged a uniform rate for all three types of service.

We don't appear to have private gps in our area although a friend said a lot of them are doing it through BUPA, AXA, etc. just not locally.

I'm not sure there I assumed that the government needed all monies raised by charging patients. There'd be an admin fee I suppose for the surgery who collect the money.

@SprayWhiteDungThats true. I hadn’t thought of it that way.

The wealthy pay anyway I'd have thought. @SprayWhiteDung

Yes if it means people stop missing appointments.In fact the nhs should go further ok means test it but everybody should pay for all appointments, hospital and dr, then if they are below the means test limit it’s refunded to them if they turn up

I'm on the fence. Personally i have only ever needed to see the gp for pregnancy related issues so haven't seen them for myself since my postnatal check with my youngest who is now 11. I think that the only way it would be fair is if they do it like they do for prescriptions so that certain people like children, elderly and people on low income don't pay. Although i don't think that will save much money as the people who qualify for free prescriptions are the ones who see the gp the most.