To think NHS time wasters should be billed and have to pay?

[YellowSunny]

The ones that call for an ambulance when it isn't needed (to take them home when they're drunk) should be billed for it? So they pay the £500 (whatever it costs) and people in prison should have to pay for their dental care (DD got a procedure done and had to tick she was in full time education and that's why she got it free, but there was one for people in prison!!! I never knew this) so when they're released they should be billed? Surely it would make a lot of sense. Yes, it may cause more work, but surely it should save the NHS some money?

[AppleSetsSail]

Often, the people who don't show up to appointments are the most vulnerable - they might have mental/physical health problems that flare up and make them unable to go (and unable to call to cancel). They may not have the wherewithall to keep track of appointments effectively. Charging them would make them less likely to book the appointments in the first place.

More likely they just can't be bothered to call.

[ilovesooty]

I name changed I wonder why.

[Dontyoulovecalpol]

Tbf Apple I used to be a GP receptionist and the worst time wasters weren't the no shows but the hypochondriacs (sorry, those with "health anxiety") it wasn't uncommon for one person to have an appointment once a week for their latest ailment. All bullshit.

[AppleSetsSail]

In an ideal world time wasters should pay or be penalised in some way for missed appointments as they are a big burden on the system but there are several problems with this. Who polices it and chases for payments

The government seems to be fairly successful in collecting money for parking tickets, speeding tickets, council tax, income tax, road tax, TV license, etc. Why is this so different?

[JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff]

Sigh.

Look, the problem with the NHS is that successive governments have mismanaged and underfunded it.

This is not patients' fault. It is also not clinicians' fault.

And yet, the Tories have done a great job of setting patients and HCPs against one another: 'look it's the greedy junior docs' fault!' 'Look, it's feckless obese people's fault!' etc.

In fact, as with benefits, I'd bet anything that the cost of 'abuse' to the system, whilst real, is nowhere NEAR the cost of mismanagement, cuts, etc.

But it's easier to blame a vulnerable drunk person than Jeremy Hunt, eh.

[Lunar1]

Appointment turnout is so bad DH's clinics are often overbooked by 50% so the time isn't wasted. He has a crazy day on the occasions when everyone turns up! It's not often though as his patients have complex needs which makes it understandable that some appointments get missed.

[MidnightVelvettheSixth]

I would rather charge people who end up in A&E with drinking and drug related injuries that would not have happened were they not drunk/out of their stupid skulls, rather than prisoners.

Thing is though where does it stop, & how do you then deal with drinking & drug addicts, should they be charged? How about more injuries that are self inflicted? Maybe smokers? Maybe fat people? Maybe skateboarders & cyclists? Where do you draw the line...

[Dontyoulovecalpol]

"The government seems to be fairly successful in collecting money for parking tickets, speeding tickets, council tax, income tax, road tax, TV license, etc. Why is this so different?"

It's no different. All those things take an enourmous amount of admin and money. Running HMRC is hardly cheap

[Sparklesilverglitter]

I think people who don't show for appointments should be fined, it takes a matter of minutes to phone and cancel and it's the decent thing to do so somebody else can see a doctor. I luckily don't need the doctors very often but when I do I have often been in there and they are calling for yet another no show.

Calling an ambulance when it's not needed i don't know really, what if it's something somebody has just miss judged but then I'm sure they get many time wasters. One of the houses at the end of my road here called an ambulance out 4 nights running the other month, nobody ever got in the ambulance and it was only there 5 minutes so it wasn't needed and 4 night running so yes I think they should of charged her for waste time

[ilovesooty]

A good few prisoners I've worked with got moved around so often they never accessed any dental treatment anyway.

[user1471451684]

They are sat in prison doing nothing so why couldn't they work off the cost of there treatment. Find some jobs for a prison work crew like clearing the ditches

[FiveGoMadInDorset]

They don't sit in prison doing nothing at all. All prisoners have to do something whether its work or education and for a morning session they get a whopping 50p

[Buzzardbird]

Not a massive surprise OP.

[Lunde]

In Sweden you have to pay £40-50 for a missed appointment.

You also have to pay a contribution (lower sums) for ordinary appointments - approx
£10 - district nurse/physio etc
£15-20 - GP
£30-40 - specialist/A&E
£40-50 - out of hours A&E (evenings/weekend)

[ilovesooty]

For fuck's sake.

[ilovesooty]

Sorry that was to goady usernumbers

[YellowSunny]

Seriously though, they get free education! I pay £1,200 a year to do my A-levels!!

[sashh]

But then you have to either employ someone to do the billing or give the job to someone who already has a job.

Then what do you do if they don't pay? Pay a solicitor?

For all its faults the way the NHS is funded is cheap to run.

So you think it's okay for an ambulance to be sent and then realise the person had lied as they just wanted a lift home is not as bad as missing an appointment??!!

There is a book written by a paramedic, it started as a blog.

Some guy who lived by the hospital would go out drinking then call an ambulance. Once he got to A and E he would walk home.

The ambulance drivers were obviously not happy, so when he did it the third time they took him to a hospital a number of miles away.

(DD got a procedure done and had to tick she was in full time education and that's why she got it free, but there was one for people in prison!!!

So it's OK for your dd to have free treatment?

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

How do you decide who is a time waster though? I went to A & E because I had stomach pains and was being sick. I probably looked as though I had a bug but it turned out I had pancreatitis. I didn't think I wa an accident or emergency but luckily DH did!

Regarding cancelling appointments, I was booked in for a smear a couple of months ago. My appointment was at 8am and I woke up that morning with an upset stomach so didn't go. I couldn't cancel the appointment in time for it to go to someone else reception doesn't open until 8am. Should I be charged for the missed appointment when it wasn't my fault?

[brasty]

I don't think you understand op what it is like being really ill. I have missed appointments, and I never had till last year. I was very ill and struggled to remember what day it was and when my appointments were, and got easily confused.

[Buzzardbird]

I'm with you Sooty, this thread is like Farage's porn page!

[MidnightVelvettheSixth]

Seriously though, they get free education! I pay £1,200 a year to do my A-levels!!

You're being too black & white OP, yes they may get free A Levels but chances are they didn't get your comfortable childhood or your non abusive family or your 3 meals per day or your stable childhood home. Yes I'm assuming but my point is that nobody ever wants to go to prison, its not usually a life choice, its because you got caught. Find me a person that says 'ah I want to get a degree, is it Oxford, Durham, Bristol or prison that's best'.

What you want is workhouses I think...they had neither dental not free education!

[YellowSunny]

I am not the one who said about missing appointments? Don't assume I don't know about being very ill, I do. That's exactly why I feel so strongly about not wasting the money, as there isn't enough money for life saving drugs.

[ilovesooty]

Well you could try committing a crime and getting yourself into custody of you think prisoners are so privileged. Buzzard exactly

[YellowSunny]

So you are now telling me about my childhood? Ok.