If you have not seen your GP for five years....

[Margaret Pilkington]

Yes, I know that some people need ongoing support.
I am just glad that right now that is not me...even at 69 I can run up Riley's Hill without getting out of breath......I am very active and fill my day full to the brim......but do not wish to be sitting in some GP's surgery to hear them tell me that I am fit. I know my body, I listen to it and if it were to let me down then I would have to call on the medics..but please lord...not right now I have far too much to occupy myself with.

[Exile on Spencer St]

Surely the problem that needs addressing is not the healthy people who don't go to their GPs in five years or more, nor the people who've moved, died or otherwise disappeared.
The problem is that GP's (private businesses contracted to, not part of, the NHS) get £136 per name on a list that's obviously not kept up-to-date by GPs (and why would it?).
Why not simply pay these private medical practitioners for every consultation they undertake? Every visit to a GP requires an appointment, that's recorded somewhere, so how difficult is it to count up the appointments and pay an agreed sum for each? Keep the GP registers based on a rough target of a certain number of patients per doctor, so patients have some certainty of getting an appointment. But there needs to be some incentive for GPs to keep 'their' lists of patients up-to-date.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by Exile on Spencer St

Surely the problem that needs addressing is not the healthy people who don't go to their GPs in five years or more, nor the people who've moved, died or otherwise disappeared.
The problem is that GP's (private businesses contracted to, not part of, the NHS) get £136 per name on a list that's obviously not kept up-to-date by GPs (and why would it?).
Why not simply pay these private medical practitioners for every consultation they undertake? Every visit to a GP requires an appointment, that's recorded somewhere, so how difficult is it to count up the appointments and pay an agreed sum for each? Keep the GP registers based on a rough target of a certain number of patients per doctor, so patients have some certainty of getting an appointment. But there needs to be some incentive for GPs to keep 'their' lists of patients up-to-date.

Your solution would not compromise the patients. The additional advantage is that it would cost less to administer too.
This news may make healthy people seek an appointment that they do not really need just so that they have been seen by a GP in the last five years....thereby depriving those who need medical care.

[accyman]

if you need on going support and monitoring you wont come under the not been to the doctors in 5 years grou anyway as yo will need to see the doctor regularly and if you see a specialist teh specialist sends a letter to your doctor to put on your medical file so it keeps your account active for the lack of a better name for it

this idea is just stupid nonsense to make it appear that things are been done to tackle the shortage of doctors places at minimal cost


even doing nothing of worth costs a little money but its better than spending a lot of money and addressing the problem propperly

[RainbowSix]

As far as I know Having ghost patients on their lists also makes it harder for people to register as the practice will have a set number of patients that it can have on it's books.

So by being able to remove non responding patients who they have not seen in many years will enable new patients who do need to see a doctor to be taken on, thus being more efficient and saving the NHS (and us) money that could be better spent on other things.

If you rarely see the doctor or want to remain on their books you only have to contact them to say so, that's not too hard is it? If you have moved, left the country, died or are as fit as a fiddle and have no need of a doctor then you lose nothing.

I see this only as an efficiency measure, keeping their records up to date with current patients - nothing wrong with that.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by RainbowSix

As far as I know Having ghost patients on their lists also makes it harder for people to register as the practice will have a set number of patients that it can have on it's books.

So by being able to remove non responding patients who they have not seen in many years will enable new patients who do need to see a doctor to be taken on, thus being more efficient and saving the NHS (and us) money that could be better spent on other things.

If you rarely see the doctor or want to remain on their books you only have to contact them to say so, that's not too hard is it? If you have moved, left the country, died or are as fit as a fiddle and have no need of a doctor then you lose nothing. I see this only as an efficiency measure, keeping their records up to date with current patients - nothing wrong with that

There is nothing wrong at all in making sure that GP's are not claiming for patients who(for whatever reason) are no longer using the service...what is wrong,however, is the method by which this is being done.

Paying a private company(whose aim is to make a profit) to do the work of sending out letters...which in itself is an expense, is not, in my opinion, the way to go about it.
Surely it is an easy job to find out if someone is still residing in the borough(electoral roll will provide evidence)....and if there has been no request by another GP for records then that patient should not be sent a mail shot.

If I were no longer living in Accrington, or had decided to change my GP...surely to goodness my new GP would want my records......this request should be flagged up by the administrative staff of the practice.......I have to say the cynical part of me thinks that GP's who are being paid what amounts to a retention fee for each patient, are not letting on when patients leave their list.
Why would you elect to lose money if you didn't have to?

[accyman]

yes margaret as soon as you register at a new doctors the new doctors requests your entire medical reord and history from you previous doctors so they know to take you off the books

no one should have to keep checking they still have a place .If you fall ill you should be able to turn up at your doctors knowing you will not be turned away because it was assumed you are too healthy and will never need a doctor

like cars as humans get older they develop faults i wouldnt buy a new car and assume it will be in the same condition in 5 years time

[Neil]

Originally Posted by accyman

pretty lousy doctor if he cant spot a dead patient lol

I've met a couple that I wouldn't let near the dogs

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

There is nothing wrong at all in making sure that GP's are not claiming for patients who(for whatever reason) are no longer using the service...what is wrong,however, is the method by which this is being done.

Paying a private company(whose aim is to make a profit) to do the work of sending out letters...which in itself is an expense, is not, in my opinion, the way to go about it.
Surely it is an easy job to find out if someone is still residing in the borough(electoral roll will provide evidence)....and if there has been no request by another GP for records then that patient should not be sent a mail shot.

If I were no longer living in Accrington, or had decided to change my GP...surely to goodness my new GP would want my records......this request should be flagged up by the administrative staff of the practice.......I have to say the cynical part of me thinks that GP's who are being paid what amounts to a retention fee for each patient, are not letting on when patients leave their list.
Why would you elect to lose money if you didn't have to?

You are assuming everyone is on the electoral roll and they are not. You are assuming people haven't moved away and informed the GP they have changed address or have even registered elsewhere. Many forgot to register with a doctor after moving until they are ill. You are assuming everyone is as intelligent as yourself, sadly many are not.

It is quicker and cheaper to send a letter to those patients who haven't been to the surgery for 5 years than it is to start trying to find out details in other ways

[RainbowSix]

There will be more than 1 letter, they are sending 2 letters.
The practices are overworked as it is, they will not have time for the receptionists to go through all the records - this is something that can only practicably be done by a sub contracting outside body.

How else, if not 2 letters should they identify people? perhaps you would like them to go visit each patient on the list?

Neil has pointed out the flaws in the new practice listing, which if someone had registered at a new practice, they would then be able to point this out to the old one when they send them a letter!

Margaret, you seem to just complain against anything and everything - next the knives and forks will be out to get you!

[MrPastry]

Being of a certain age we're on the annual review thing and have much praise for our nurses and doctors who have looked after us in sunny Accy. Keep well all!

[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by Neil

You are assuming everyone is on the electoral roll and they are not. You are assuming people haven't moved away and informed the GP they have changed address or have even registered elsewhere. Many forgot to register with a doctor after moving until they are ill. You are assuming everyone is as intelligent as yourself, sadly many are not.

It is quicker and cheaper to send a letter to those patients who haven't been to the surgery for 5 years than it is to start trying to find out details in other ways

Neil...I assure you that I assume nothing.
If a patient moves to another area..or even another practice, then their new GP will reqire the past notes of all the conditions that the patient has been treated for...surely it is not beyond the admin staff of the practice to realise that if notes are being asked for by another GP, itis because that patient is no longer with their practice...and they should then be taken off the register.
i know that not everyone is on the electoral roll...but there will be more peole on it than off it...so surely that is a good place to start.
GP's must have some sort of database of patients to work from too.

Yes, a letter is a cheap way to find out if a person is still in the area...but the cost of the letter is being inflated by a private company(a company that is in the market to MAKE money) is being used to do this work.

This work should be done by the admin staff of the practice.......it needs to be done on perhaps a yearly basis(or maybe every three years)...if the admin staff do not have the time to do it then surely they could either pay their own staff overtime to do it(I am sure they would be glad of an opportunity to earn a bit extra) or they could bring people in just to do this job.
Better still patients who haven't visited for five years could present themselves at reception and sign a computer printed form to say that they still wish to be registered with the practice.
I am averse to seeing a GP now while my health is good, but would not like to think that should the need arise I could not see a doctor.
I would be quite happy to fill in a form obtained from reception....and it does not even need to be posted...it could be dropped in a box at reception.
Better even than that is to be able to state your intention to stay with the practice on a computer screen...tap the box and it is logged...no paper, no waste and even cheaper.
This would be cost effective and it would fulfil the aim.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by Neil

I've met a couple that I wouldn't let near the dogs

I have met dozens that I would not let cut my toenails........and worst of all they are still about.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by RainbowSix

Margaret, you seem to just complain against anything and everything - next the knives and forks will be out to get you!

Rainbow six...your opinion of me is of no consequence. I do not need your approval for my self esteem.

And putting a smiley after posting what I suppose you hoped would be a stinging comment in order to make it seem less insulting is defeating what you are trying(and failing) to do.

[gpick24]

I`m not even sure of my doctors name it`s been that long since I`ve been, it used to be doctor Hipwell but he left ages ago, I think i`d better call in and check they have right address.
I do think this is a good idea though, I doubt the surgeries own admin doing it would work, no real incentive for them to find out who they are getting free money for.
There must be loads of people come to the UK, registered with a doctors then gone back home and not told the surgery.