It wouldn’t be a bad idea if we paid for GP appointments?

[Babybear260]

I’m no economist or politician but it occurred to be that if everyone (or the majority of the populn excluding students, under 18,s , pensioners and very low income households) paid, I don’t know ~£5 every time they saw a GP, could that improve the NHS?

I know many, many people that spend twice that a week on lattes and cappuccinos (including myself) so I wonder whether if the majority of the population could stump £5 per appointment it would help?? Because most people aren’t seeing GP’s weekly so surely people wouldn’t mind contributing?

sure people have thought of this before and there must be a reason why it wouldn’t work because obviously if if did, it would be an option.

It also wouldn't work well from the otherside either. The gp calling you to come in to discuss test results urgently. Patient: i dont get paid for another 3 weeks il come then.

Good point

I think the exemptions would disproportionately affect those who are already the heaviest users.

Upon reflection, I don't think working people need another bash right now. They're propping everyone else up!

It would worsen the health of many. I do however think people should pay for all missed appointments at hospital or GP.

Because if someone has a fixed income from their pension and can't work a bit of overtime to earn a bit more, they are likely to decide to skip getting their pills to save on a tenner that they'd rather spend elsewhere, and end up costing the NHS way more than the £10 prescription charge. We all start falling to pieces a bit after 60 and we are cheapest and easiest to keep healthy if we don't hesitate to seek (appropriate) help when we need it and take the pills we are prescribed without having to penny-pinch

This is very out of touch.

Not every 60 yr old is retired & living off a pension & you understand that plenty of workers can’t just request paid overtime?!

The capped certificate is affordable for many pensioners.

It does already exist. People pay for private healthcare.

You may as well make it £11,500 as far as some of the poorest people and/or those who suffer from the worst health are concerned.

It's a bizarre logic: because lots of people have spare money to keep buying takeaway coffees, that must mean that everybody can afford a fiver here, a fiver there - as well as travel and/or parking - for essential medical consultations.

It's like saying that nobody needs food banks, on the basis that Harrods & F&M exist and get a lot of customers.

Nye would spin in his grave to hear the opening poster.

Free at the point of need is the essential bedrock of the NHS. If we have to think twice, three times, before we consult a physician, many, very many of us wouldn't survive.
And there are many families who would have to do that very thing.
I have a real life example of when quick, timeous interaction saves money for the NHS. Some years ago I woke up with a slight ache in my left shoulder blade and tingling in my little left finger. I went to my GP. Had an xray, diagnosed with a tumour in my lung.

a minor issue, at the point I went to the GP. But because my cancer was caught early, I didn't need chemotherapy or radiotherapy or end of life care.

yes I cost the NHS a few scans an an operation. But I saved them the rest.

your idea, in my view, is very very bad.

I think charging for missed appointments is tricky to though. A couple of times I've not had the appointment letter until after the appointment. Also with a gp if its a phone call and your told they will ring around 10am but don't ring until 4pm and you don't answer who actually missed the appointment as I was sat by the phone at 10

The payment for missed appointments makes a lot of clinics more efficient because people don't want to pay £45 so call to cancel and the appointments can be offered to someone waiting. I have family that work in HC and it is rare to have missed appointments.

I once got eye surgery with 15 hours notice because someone cancelled - I was happy to get my operation and it was a much better for them not to have the theatre staff twiddling their thumbs

Im retired, I still pay tax every month. Do I need to pay more? If so, why?

Why do people keep stating that pensioners are likely to be poor. It's simply not true anymore - not for a long time.

Many people don’t understand how different things are & how the changing demographics makes things economically unviable.

a&e is free if referred by gp.

there are no fees for hospital admissions - these were abolished some time ago.

Pensioners aren’t more likely to be poor, but they are more likely to be ill, and often with several comorbid health conditions.

You don't get appointments show up on the NHS app? I check mine weekly for that - then they text you 24 hours before your appointment.

@ByQuaintAzureWasp You need to pay towards the services you use.

Why should you not pay for prescriptions? If you're paying tax then you clearly have the means so why not?

I know there's an awful lot wrong with the NHS, but I think far too many people (probably those who are privileged not to need it very often) are much too quick to ignore/forget all that is brilliant about it.

Why can't we accept that we have an amazing system, but nevertheless not one without much need for improvement and reform? Why does it have to be all or nothing?

Very few will have paid enough tax to fund their state pension let alone free healthcare. It’s paid by those underneath & there aren’t enough now.

Across the UK, only approx. 10% of the people in England actually pay for prescriptions. It would surely be much simpler - and do away with loads of admin - to just throw the net a little wider and make them free for everybody.

One major reason that has always been given as one for not charging for GP appointments is that people will put off seeing their GP but will then present later on with more advanced illness, and then require much more expensive secondary and hospital care, which could have been avoided if they had sought treatment earlier. So charging for GP appointments would be a false economy.

I'm under multiple trusts and it only shows appointments for my trust also dependant on hospital and department whether you get messages or not some I get about 10 messages starting from 2 weeks before others I get none. How hospitals and trusts are run are vastly different up and down the country

But don't those pensioners continue to pay VAT, etc.?

I mean how many 60 year olds are pensioners these days? I am 63 but am not eligible for a UK pension until 67

I can't do the maths but working 50 years should surely cover the cost of an individuals GP visits.I bet not many GP's would want patients having to pay?

Hmm that is not very efficient - the Swedish app allows you to add clinics outside of your own trust so you get those as well