To think that *some* people paying for healthcare *some* of the time would be no bad thing.

[manicinsomniac]

I am a big fan of the NHS and think it would be terrible if we lost it.

However, I think we could help prevent that happening by it being not quite so free as we are accustomed to, iyswim.

I had to go to my GP today for help with my totally avoidable and self inflicted health condition. I was given an appointment just 3 hours after phoning and the doctor was calm, non judgmental and extremely helpful. I am independent adult with a good, full time job.

I can't see why I, and people like me, shouldn't pay a token amount towards GP appointments, just like we do for the dentist. Even just £10-£15 a visit could make a huge difference on a national scale, surely.

Obviously if you are a) poor b) have an illness or disability that requires frequent appointments c) are a child or d) need expensive treatment/care then the NHS is vital and must remain free.

But I don't see the need for this 'free at the point of use' thing for all people in all situations. If you can pay for standard, infrequent appointments then I think it would be fine to be made to.

AIBU?

They're already paying far more tax in a year than some people would pay in a lifetime

So? They don't need it. Others do.

Was just scrolling through and thought about the missed appts.

The whole country should charge for missed appts in every sector beauty, hair, NHS EVERTYTHING.

If you miss an appointment for anything you pay £10.

Serial appointment missers don't really what effect it has on a business.

I missed an appointment for me because both me and my son were ill and he comes first so I had to sort him out.

Not everyone who misses appointments is doing it to be a twat

Beaufort I've had a lot of above and beyond the call of duty care from NHS staff. This year alone my GP finished her lunch break to see me when she had no appointments left for the day. The problem is that a lot are over-worked and under-appreciated because the NHS is intentionally being driven to breaking point so private companies can come in and 'save' the day. Locally though one surgery is closing down because the private company that picked up the contract has declared it non-profitable and pulled out. Thousands of patients now have to find another GP so other local surgeries will be under further pressure

Morris apologies for missing that about it being a red herring, I only read to page 3. It's hard to read every single comment once a thread gets going!

I am incredibly grateful for the NHS treatment I receive and am genuinely scared at how the NHS is being destroyed in such a way that we are being turned against it and those who work within it.

Dentists on the otherhand I've had some terrible experiences of since it's become a hybrid system. Bad attitudes from staff towards me as an NHS patient. Visible targets about how many fillings and hygienist appointments they have to up sell which makes you question whether the treatment they are recommending is needed or because it boosts their profit line

I've just read a news report about someone taking part in a leisure activity which led to them shattering their pelvis in 5 places, cracking a large number of ribs, two vertebrae & a shoulder blade. The air ambulance & coastguard were both used to reduce him. The cost of that one accident must have been enormous, probably in excess of £100,000. Should people who carry out dangerous sports have to have insurance to cover the cost of their potential injuries? If they were in France they would use their specialist travel insurance.

thecatsmeow so you were so ill you couldn't make a 1 minute phone call to the doctors to say you couldn't make the appointment. Fucking hell...that is ill.

Yabu. Even as a family who seem well off on the surface a redundancy last year made things extra tight. We get no benefits apart from cb and have nursery fees of 400 pounds per month to allow us to both work.
If this cost was brought in, some people would no go and put it off, possibly to the detriment of their health.

angelos no I was busy taking my sick child to hospital despite that I don't drive, while feeling ill myself, so I had to walk several miles. I had to drag myself out my pyjamas, wrestle a huge screaming baby into his pram, the whole time trying not to pass out and while being terribly worried about him.

I didn't even remember I had an appointment until afterwards because I was only concerned about him

kitty yes forgot opticians too. Even Specsavers can set you back £100 for a test and basic glasses. For a lot of families that is unthinkable.

I suppose they could argue that existing is dangerous. Most of the broken limbs etc in my family etc have happened doing really boring things. I do agree re the coastguard etc, ideally insurance would pay. It's a crazily expensive and dangerous service to operate, to rescue people indulging their chosen hobby.

I saw the nurse for a pill check last week. Because my blood pressure was high she couldn't prescribe the pill and told me I had to monitor it for a week and see the GP. Should I have to pay for two appointments when it's not actually my fault that I need the second one?

I got booked in with someone not qualified to do what I needed before, despite me insisting I needed a doctor.

But the receptionists know better right?

Just to play devil's advocate though, a lot of people doing sporting hobbies are also fitter and so use health services less, barring if they have any accidents. For example I cycle which does put me at risk of being in an accident but which helps massively with keeping weight down, general fitness, and I use it to keep my anxiety at bay rather than medication (which I would get for free as I have medical exemption). Some of my family members are really in to climbing which could be very expensive in an accident if they required mountain rescue but on the other hand one of them is in his late 40's and is incredibly fit as a result, hasn't seen a doctor in years himself (although his son has had many broken bones from training to be an MTB pro but now he's in a team they pay for private treatment).

It is a difficult line to draw

I never thought I'd agree with bumbleymummy on anything, but her post of 08:51 has it, spot on.
HRTaxpayers are already paying a fortune in tax and NI every year. The tax system here is progressive, they already contribute more. Many opt for private healthcare or schooling etc too.
Anyone paying tax and NI is already paying for their NHS care. Perhaps some get more out of the system than they put in? Health conditions don't discriminate. You don't know that you'll be born with CP, develop MS, or cancer.
If you remove all benefits from people paying into the system (and I deliberately didn't say HRTaxpayers, because I'm fairly sure anyone not on income support would end up paying for GP services ) they will find more and more ways not to fund that system. (Not necessarily via tax avoidance, but also by electing parties that will cut taxes for those on higher incomes)
Ordinary people already pay for prescriptions (yes, even if you need lots of them because you have a chronic condition), dental care and treatment, physiotherapy (because waiting times are so long you'd be permanently damaged without), orthodontic care, chiropodist care, etc etc.
There is a lot of waste in the NHS. Not tackling the way it's run and just chucking more money into the black hole isn't going to help anyone, and will in the long run do more damage.

I have a terminal illness and I would be more than happy to pay a small fee for my appointments if it ensures the NHS stays afloat.

The NHS can't manage to collect the monies owing to it from overseas nationals using its services when they aren't entitled to - so I doubt very much that they would be able to collect £10 per GP appointment! I doubt too it would cut missed appointments - if you're the sort of person who isn't going to let your surgery know you're unable to keep your appointment, I don't think you're the sort of person who would be likely to be put off that course of behaviour by paying a tenner.

thecatsmeow they don't need it. Others do
Are you just on a wind up?
How exactly can you judge who "needs" their income?
Perhaps my cousin doesn't need his six-figure salary? But his disabled child who has their private special school place paid for out of his already-taxed salary, because she isn't apparently disabled enough? Doesn't she need it? It should she go without an education because none of their local primaries can meet her needs?
And what if a well-paid professional needs a new kidney? Or a new heart and lungs? Should they pay for that? Should they buy those? I wonder which sector of society would be lining up to sell kidneys? You don't think that would be more divisive and more dangerous?

My mother would never visit her GP if she had to pay. My DD visits regularly and would cost us a fortune.

I wouldn't count normal cycling as a dangerous sport, I would count taking part in a sportive or race. Similarly someone taking part in a cross-country riding event or 3 day eventing would require health insurance whereas someone going for a hack, when one would expect them to take normal precautions, wouldn't. I take part in 'dangerous' sports, I ski, dive, ride. have paraskiied etc in the past and cycle in London. There are different elements of risk in different activities. Riding a motorbike at 100mph on a motorway is taking undue risks, should the rider be in an accident why should the law abiding tax payer cover the costs of their reckless illegal behaviour?

How would the surgeries QOFS be affected if patients had to pay for appointments, if the fee went straight to the surgery then they would not lose out however if we look at the QOFS in place at the moment, the ways in which a surgery can claim extra money a lot of medical conditions, services and tests come under the umbrella

• clinical: the domain consists of 69 indicators across 19 clinical areas (e.g. chronic kidney disease, heart failure, hypertension) worth up to a maximum of 435 points.
• public health: the domain consists of seven indicators (worth up to 97 points) across four clinical areas – blood pressure, cardiovascular disease – primary prevention, obesity 16+ and smoking 15+.
• public health – additional services: the domain consists of five indicators (worth up to 27 points) across two service areas – cervical screening and contraception

If patients refuse to go and see their GPS because they cant afford the fee would that mean the surgery loses out on points and therefore loses out on revenue.

Also my Husband needs to go for a medication revue the GP insists he goes before his next round of medication should he have to pay a fee when its not him instigating the appointment.

Sorry, haven't read the whole thread yet. It's a terrible idea.

For starters how do you define self inflicted? My asthma is to a certain extent, as we got a cat when I was 8 years old and it triggered asthma. However, of my many conditions this is well managed, thanks to the nhs. I prepay my prescriptions, meaning the drugs I take for asthma cost me considerably less than the nhs pay for the drugs. Consequently my condition is well managed and I've not had to use A and E for an asthma attack for over 20 years. I also see a counsellor 2 times a year for genetic counselling due to my dads progressive degenerative illness. I have gynaecological problems and make use of the local GUM clinic regularly. So I do use the NHS, and yes I'm probably costing the system a bit. However because I can manage my illnesses I am able to work, contribute to social, pay taxes and raise 2 more future tax payers. It would cost the system much more not to help me as what I take from the nhs helps me remain an active tax paying citizen who can contribute by saving money in other ways, eg.the time I spent caring for my father. A fee to go to the doctors might have put me off making the first appointment that got me the treatment indeed to keep going. So no I could never agree with this.