dAVe80 Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 32 minutes ago, chrisp65 said: Yeah, it's free here - but they do tell you when their internal invoicing / prescription costs are more than the medicine and then you can choose to buy it yourself, i.e., they'll hand you a prescription for cough meds and point out that the script is free to you, but costs the NHS about £8 minimum but the cough meds are available off the shelf for £3.99. It's still free if you want it, it's just a sort of self regulating thing for the virtuous folks with money. I once got given a prescription for ibuprofen, so I was looking at paying more than double (the 400mg ones that are about £3 odd). Obviously I just got them over the counter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowychap Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 Ah, the seemingly annual £10 charge suggestion. Bollocks to it, frankly. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindie Posted January 8, 2016 VT Supporter Share Posted January 8, 2016 Smacks of the early footsteps of normalising paying for medical advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpanishVilla Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 A flat £10 fee for people to visit their GP would never fly, but get the feeling that some sort of fee system will be introduced eventually. The NHS is a behemoth drain on the UK's finances that no government seems to be able to get a handle on so I don't see any other way that it can continue the way it is for too long before it is a total shambles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 7 minutes ago, Chindie said: Smacks of the early footsteps of normalising paying for medical advice. I got the impression it was Doctors suggesting this rather than politicians ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wainy316 Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 Does this mean I'll no longer pay or pay less national insurance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenm Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 No, absolutely no. It's a terrible idea. There's a problem, definitely, but this isn't the solution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindie Posted January 8, 2016 VT Supporter Share Posted January 8, 2016 1 minute ago, tonyh29 said: I got the impression it was Doctors suggesting this rather than politicians ? I think this has come up before, as Snowy indicates, and I'm fairly sure it's usual come from some level of government or another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenm Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 Just now, tonyh29 said: I got the impression it was Doctors suggesting this rather than politicians ? Doesn't matter. Once the idea of paying for your health becomes accepted in this country, it's easy to then privatise more of it. I don't think anyone can argue that a profit driven private company providing care is an inherently bad thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted January 8, 2016 Author Share Posted January 8, 2016 Like I said earlier, if they want to generate more money than penalise the people who fail to attend their appointments without providing notification. that will stop that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 1 hour ago, darrenm said: Doesn't matter. Once the idea of paying for your health becomes accepted in this country, it's easy to then privatise more of it. I don't think anyone can argue that a profit driven private company providing care is an inherently bad thing. If the level of care improves then I think you'd be justified in putting the argument forward for private companies providing care ... but that's a mighty big IF We already pay for our health care , 98.8 % of it's funding comes from Tax or NI contributions ... the notion that it's free only really applies if you've never paid tax surely ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 1 hour ago, Chindie said: I think this has come up before, as Snowy indicates, and I'm fairly sure it's usual come from some level of government or another. I seem to recall a politician saying it last year (might have even been a Lib Dem one) but most of my google searches return results with it being Doctors pushing for it ..seemingly on the logic it will stop time wasters and no shows Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted January 8, 2016 Author Share Posted January 8, 2016 24 minutes ago, tonyh29 said: If the level of care improves then I think you'd be justified in putting the argument forward for private companies providing care ... but that's a mighty big IF We already pay for our health care , 98.8 % of it's funding comes from Tax or NI contributions ... the notion that it's free only really applies if you've never paid tax surely ? The thing that I fear Tone, is if goes private and you have to get insurance. Insurance companies looking at ways/loopholes to un-insure you for big ops so they dont have to pay out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 20 minutes ago, Demitri_C said: The thing that I fear Tone, is if goes private and you have to get insurance. Insurance companies looking at ways/loopholes to un-insure you for big ops so they dont have to pay out I pay for private health care with Bupa , I've never had them refuse treatment or to pay for anything ... not saying it won't happen but my experience has been 100% positive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tegis Posted January 8, 2016 VT Supporter Share Posted January 8, 2016 This is exactly what we started doing here about 20 years ago, Adults pay roughly £20 per visit regardless if they have a cold or they have a broken pelvis. Only one charge though. If you need 10 more visits with your pelvis you only pay once. There is also a yearly max you can get charged (I think its about £200) And no, it changes nothing. People go anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limpid Posted January 8, 2016 Administrator Share Posted January 8, 2016 What specific problem is this supposed to address? If it's missed appointments, then do something about the missed appointments, not all appointments. If it's to raise money then just say so and explain how the many. many exceptions will work and how much will be raised after all the required bureaucracy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calcifer Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 Sorry i don't think it is workable. I work and by the time i have paid all my bills im lucky if i have £50 left for my family to last the month! So yes say i had a lump i would not be able to afford to go to the doctors. Take the tax i pay out of my wages and then i probably could but no way should i be expected to pay for the doctors with the amount of tax and national insurance i pay!! I have been told it is 3 weeks before i can see a doctor unless i que up outside the doctors in the morning for when the doctors opens at 8:30 so i can grab one of the duty doctor slots! I have passed the doctors at 8 in the morning and there are 8-9 people already outside! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meath_Villan Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 50 Euro per visit to the doctor ...so I rarely go unless I'm half dead ......the kids used to be 40 per visit until late last year when they introduced free under 4 or something Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wazzap24 Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 It's an idea worth considering. If they charged per visit and dropped the prescription fee that would be fairer. All those who currently have to pay for prescription, would pay an examination fee instead. Those that don't wouldn't. It would increase revenue and potentially dissuade a few time wasters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonLax Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 How many people would bypass the GP and show up at the hospital emergency room instead to avoid the fee? That would be great for emergency waiting times. They tried to introduce this in Australia. A $7 GP fee (about £3) was included in the budget about 12 months ago but it was shouted down so loudly that it was one of the main contributors to Tony Abbot being removed as Prime Minister and the Treasurer who proposed the idea left politics altogether. If it didn't fly in Australia can't see it getting up in the UK with your much valued NHS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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