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/

It’s only a good idea if it saves enough money overall. If charging results in people not seeking help early enough, their problem could become much more expensive to treat.

There’s quite a range between mobile and able to get a taxi, and not breathing or (nor and) immobile.

Presumably people on benefits would still get free appointments. I think it would just end up that people who benefit from free appointments, and the very rich will still see doctors whenever they need, and those in the middle who receive no benefits but struggle with rising costs will second guess going and serious issues may get missed until it’s too late. If charges begin to apply, it should be a very minimal charge for absolutely everybody (except under 18’s and students perhaps).
NHS dentists need a whole review too - so everyone pays a very minimal amount rather than being complete luck of the draw if you have an nhs dentist or not.

I wouldn’t mind to pay in principle however at the moment we pay for dentists and where they are ? The amount we have to pay is not a token one but I haven’t seen NHS dentist for more then 2 years and when I saw one in the past the service was very limited and poor. We also pay for prescriptions and often we get very cheap basic medicines on them, which cost far from £9.90. e.g penicillin.

If I pay I want to see quality unless it’s a token payment of no more than £5.

Sorry I thought you where a different person but I wouldn't class someone as having a stroke to be safely mobile

But you have to admit ambulances are significantly misused.

NHS dental fees are token certainly for band 1 and 2 care

£27 or so for an examination, diagnosis, advice, X-rays, scale and polish (if needed), and fluoride varnish or fissure sealant. A filling or extraction for £75? It seems pretty reasonable to me.

£27 for someone to spend less then a minute looking in your mouth and saying all good see you in 6 months is not a token payment

@youalright strokes are not category 1 nor is a heart attack but I would very much call an ambulance.

That's if there are any NHS dentists available in your area. There aren't in ours and we can't afford private so we don't currently have a dentist.

I agree with you. If people can call a taxi or get safely into a car they don’t need an ambulance.

Yeah i changed it to category 2 aswell when I realised

Well I'm glad you changed your view.

This is a ridiculous dog whistle thread. People can already pay to see a doctor if they want to. It’s not financially viable for most people.

Just take a look at dentistry where there are payments, most avoid going for regular appointments and many get teeth extracted instead of having costly treatment.

If doctors appointments were paid then a big section of people would avoid going until they were seriously ill which would put more pressure further along the system. The inequalities and frustrations would only rise.

£27 for all the things covered by Band 1 treatment is not a lot at all.

That’s the bigger problem.

I haven't changed my view a significant amount of people misuse ambulances including 111. If people didn't, people having a heart attack or stroke would get an ambulance significantly quicker the target for a category 2 is 18 minutes but is taking upto 40 minutes

Yes, I would pay to see my GP. I do think something would need to be put in place for people with chronic conditions though, as if you visit a lot the costs could get high. So 1 charge per condition per 3 months or something. And then totally free or reduced cost for those on benefits.

The risk of course is this policy discourages people seeking help. People presenting with late stage illnesses increases. Therefore NHS costs and/or mortality increase overall.

Another thing:- I would much prefer to pay my GP surgery for my GLP-1 meds and collect in person. Whether they would actually have the time to dish this stuff out given the demand...but if they could manage the infrastructure around it, it would surely add well to their coffers as well.

There's not much point charging for NHS care if people are going to be charged on the same basis as they are charged for prescriptions. Only about 10% of NHS prescriptions attract a payment by the recipients, and half of those are under a pre-payment certificate.

A sliding fee scale that didn't have a zero point would probably be needed to have a decent impact on NHS income or stop people wasting services (and not clear it would work this way rather than have unintended consequences of putting off people in need of care until they are critical and cost far more to treat).

Better to look at that triple lock.

@youalright you send upthread only category 1 need an ambulance then changed to category 2. I call that changing your mind & I'm glad you did. You can frame it however you like.

said not sent!

But they dont do all them things at every or most appointments its been 2 years or more since iv had a xray, he doesn't do a scale and Polish as I see the hygienist privately first. Iv had 1 filling in my life, my dentist has never taken a tooth out as I get referred to the hospital for that and I dont even no what a fissure sealant is so never had that. Iv had very little dental treatment so it is always under a minute all good see you in 6 months.

The NHS was originally intended to be completely free at the point of use.

this changed very quickly as within the first few years it became apparent it was going to cost mit h more than expected and prescription charges and other charges were brought in.

over time what’s covered has shrunk and the charges have gone up. You used to be able to get nhs physio and hydro in the 60s/70s and now nhs physio is very difficult to get most people go private.

nhs dentistry has virtually disappeared. We already have US style healthcare in dentistry.

i remember NHS specs when I was young - you got a free eye test and the NHS specs were the frames that were covered by the nhs. These days it’s completely private opticians and you can get vouchers towards your glasses in certain conditions.

wheelchairs again are largely private. You can apply to the NHS wheelchair unit and if you pass the process (most don’t) they’ll give you a voucher towards the cost of your wheelchair. Most parents of disabled kids have to fundraise for their wheelchairs these days.

having said that, GP care really is at the heart of the nhs. Anything ancillary got vouchered off or privatised (cataract surgery anyone) long ago.

the problem with charging for GP appointments is that the vast majority are taken up be seriously ill people who use multiple ones over a time period. For example my friend has cancer and is having chemo.

she’s in the surgery virtually daily, we’re rural so our GP has a chemo suite and they do all the bloods and white cells measurement there rather than in the big teaching hospital an hour away.

ten pounds a day for the year she’s been on chemo (so far) is too much.

Yes I added category 2 as I like i said I didn't realise that covered heart attack and stroke i was mistaken. My original point still stands

So what if they cannot afford the taxi, but still need to go to the hospital urgently? Many hospitals don't have a 24hr bus service to them and then what? They die because they weren't seen quick enough? Is that what we really want?

I don't agree with charging for the dentist either. There are so many people who just don't go to the dentist (even if there are NHS ones in the local area) because of the cost.