Appointment with GP - heart sunk

[MarriedThreeChildren]

Had an appointment last week with my GP. I’ve had a bad flare up from a chronic illness.

Went through everything, agreed to be referred back to hospital consultant. And then came the killer question

Do you have an insurance and want to go private or are we going NHS?

With the clear feeling that really the ‘right’ answer was going private :(:(

Since when is the NHS pushing patients to go private? Not so long ago it was such a big No-No. No GP would ever ask that question as a routine question. Rather people would ask if they knew they could get quicker/see who they wanted to see.

But here we go. The system is so fucked up that GPS are now trying to push people to go private rather than NHS.

I find it extremely worrying (I mean which insurance will ever cover me with a chronic condition that has been there for 15 years anyway??). Is it now the only way to get some decent medical support?
I have no idea when I will be able to see the consultant. GP ‘wasn’t aware about the lead times’ (last time I went to see them the wait was about 1 years. It was pre covid etc…. So I suspect…. much more than that…)

[quote Violinist64]@ancientgran, in 2014 l was having horrendous problems with my periods. My gp referred me to a gynaecologist but accidentally sent me for a private consultation. I had an endometrial ablation three months later on the NHS. My intention had always been to remain an NHS patient but my gp, on apologising for her mistake, commented truthfully on the fact that I had been able to have treatment several months earlier than would otherwise have been the case. The operation was a complete success and I have never regretted the private consultation, however it came about.[/quote]
Well obviously it worked for you and it was out of your hands but do you really think it was fair that people who were waiting to see the Consultant on the NHS got pushed back because you got in the queue for surgery before them? Clearly not your fault but think of all the people who had avoided queue number one and how that impacted on the people who had no choice but to wait.

[quote MarriedThreeChildren]@ancientgran, tbf I have no issue getting appointments with my GP. I usualy get it within 24~48hours too (econsult followed by a telephone appointment).

Hospital appointments are obvioulsy a different kettle of fish. But I'm getting the feeling they ahve out some specific system in plae with anything related to covid/long covid so that could explain your experience.
Do you have a long covid clinic where you are? They are quite quick to see people here.[/quote]
Yes I've had econsults and then called in. One appointment was funny as I had to sit in the car outside the surgery and got taken in the back door. They'd heard me coughing on the phone so I don't think they wanted me scaring everyone to death in the waiting room.

I don't know if there is a long covid clinic but my understanding was that it was too early for me to be considered for long covid. I was referred at 4 weeks for an xray and got the referral to the heart and lung unit at 5 weeks but it will be week 8 when they see me. I probably should have asked the doctor more but to be honest I felt, and still feel, so ill I didn''t go into it and talking makes me cough and coughing makes the pain worse so I kept it brief.

We do have a very good GP, sometime ago DH had some results come back from the lab and it was after surgery when GP got to see them. He phoned us at about 8 pm to say he'd been arranging an admission to hospital and gave us instructions about where to go etc.

It does vary by speciality, I had a suspected melanoma and waited ages, before covid, as we just didn't have a specialist in that department at the time. I was eventually seen by a consultant from a nearby city who did some clinics at our hospital on a Saturday. It was like a military operation and I think he probably broke the Guinness book of records for speed of consultation and treatment, no messing, looked at the offended growth and said, "OK I'll take it off now." and that was it done.

@PlainJaneEyre I think the case you are mentioning are a tiny minority compare to what we are talking about.

i'm not sure that concentrating on what amount to about less than 1% of the NHS cost is helping at all. It's not going to ensure that tere enough ambulances and space at A&E...

fwiw foreigners are allowed access to the NHS. Plenty of rules to follow and they are careful checked or asked to PAY to their care. Has been in place for years. The health tourism argument has been debunked a while ago (unless you are maybe talking about british people that stay registered at their practice even though they don't live in the UK anymore....)

Not once have I or any of my friends or family been asked to go private. And the Gps I work with would never and have never asked a patient if they want to go private. I think your claim is a one off for some bizarre reason. Or maybe more of his patients are asking to go private so he's started asking. Nust because your Gp asked you I don't think "this is what we're coming to".

@Mangogogogo

My work pays medical insurance that covers everything so some people will be able to choose that option, some of my teammates have. I know we’re lucky and I’m not rubbing it in I just mean that I guess offloading some people from the NHS to go private is surely a good thing? I’m sorry you’re having a crap time though, I’m having a bad day too its shite isn’t it!

Yes it's a good thing, until they don't want to pay for the medication recommend or pay for the next steps and then expect to be put before the other patients waiting on the NHS because they've paid for a private consultation. They bring the letter in from the private consultant and say I need this it's to expensive to pay for so I need it by tomorrow or I need a referral to such a place by next week.

@MarriedThreeChildren you didn't say how you would suggest the improvements are made or if you would be willing to pay more tax?

Well you didn’t ask how I thought it could be done.

You could start by increasing the number if doctors and beds/hospital per (million?) person. Improving the care system and ensuring that we actually have people who want to work in that area of work (so it frees beds).
The NHS has proven it can do miracles when it multiplied the ICU capacity by 3. It’s resourceful. But you need to give the means to actually be resourceful. And you can’t rely of people good will and stupid hours for ever.

And as I said before, the government has proven many times it can find money when it wants to. So if it means giving that money to one of their friends so….
But other solutions? Not having non Dom people who don’t pay taxes despite being married to a minister, having children going to school here and a house. I think that’s about £20 millions a year.
There are many of those people in the U.K. (about 1/10 in certain areas in London). I’m sure that would raise plenty of money again.

Also maybe looking at why Shell doesn’t pay taxes but receives millions of ‘help’ from the government (not even furlough….).

Plenty of solutions when you look around :)

So yes increasing taxes, but not the ones of the people (who have seen their taxes increased to level never seen since the WW2 despite the election pledge).

Te why do you think it has to be us, the general population, that should automatically pay more taxes?
Why should it not be ALL of us? By that I mean you, me, the super rich, the tax dodging companies. I mean surely it’s more efficient to go after those who don’t pay taxes but can afford them no?

@MarriedThreeChildren

Well you didn’t ask how I thought it could be done.

You could start by increasing the number if doctors and beds/hospital per (million?) person. Improving the care system and ensuring that we actually have people who want to work in that area of work (so it frees beds).
The NHS has proven it can do miracles when it multiplied the ICU capacity by 3. It’s resourceful. But you need to give the means to actually be resourceful. And you can’t rely of people good will and stupid hours for ever.

And as I said before, the government has proven many times it can find money when it wants to. So if it means giving that money to one of their friends so….
But other solutions? Not having non Dom people who don’t pay taxes despite being married to a minister, having children going to school here and a house. I think that’s about £20 millions a year.
There are many of those people in the U.K. (about 1/10 in certain areas in London). I’m sure that would raise plenty of money again.

Also maybe looking at why Shell doesn’t pay taxes but receives millions of ‘help’ from the government (not even furlough….).

Plenty of solutions when you look around :)

So yes increasing taxes, but not the ones of the people (who have seen their taxes increased to level never seen since the WW2 despite the election pledge).

Yes I did ask at 11.40.

I see where you are coming from.

@MarriedThreeChildren

Well you didn’t ask how I thought it could be done.

You could start by increasing the number if doctors and beds/hospital per (million?) person. Improving the care system and ensuring that we actually have people who want to work in that area of work (so it frees beds).
The NHS has proven it can do miracles when it multiplied the ICU capacity by 3. It’s resourceful. But you need to give the means to actually be resourceful. And you can’t rely of people good will and stupid hours for ever.

And as I said before, the government has proven many times it can find money when it wants to. So if it means giving that money to one of their friends so….
But other solutions? Not having non Dom people who don’t pay taxes despite being married to a minister, having children going to school here and a house. I think that’s about £20 millions a year.
There are many of those people in the U.K. (about 1/10 in certain areas in London). I’m sure that would raise plenty of money again.

Also maybe looking at why Shell doesn’t pay taxes but receives millions of ‘help’ from the government (not even furlough….).

Plenty of solutions when you look around :)

So yes increasing taxes, but not the ones of the people (who have seen their taxes increased to level never seen since the WW2 despite the election pledge).

This.