An Apple A Day Keeps.......

[Sqad]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2323551/One-nurse-250-000-patients-New-hours-crisis-whistleblower-reveals-nurses-replacing-GPs-cover-entire-counties.html?ico=news^headlines

15 years ago it was one GP per 3500 patients.

Now one NURSE per 250,000 patients.

Seems anything to keep the patient's away from the GP.s.

[Gromit]

Harmoni, the firm at the centre of these allegations is owned by Care UK.

John Nash, the chairman of Care UK, made a donation of £21,000 to the private office of Andrew Lansley, who would later become Secretary of State for Health, but was at the time the health spokesman for the opposition. Lansley has since been accused of a conflict of interest, as Care UK would be a major beneficiary of the proposed changes.

[LazyGun]

There has been a lot of stuff in the background about Harmoni, not much of it being favourable.

I think the way the out of hours services has been handled in the UK has been pretty appalling all round really...

[Eve]

I've had a few dealings with Care UK, a gallbladder scan, kidney scan and Greater Manchester CATS to see a foot specialist, MRI scan and podiatry.

I have to say that the service they provide is excellent. Quick appointments, great service (save I was sitting in a "lorry" clinic I felt treated more like I imagine private healthcare would be). They are very efficient.

Of course, they have a huge advantage as they do not have the sheer number of patients and overheads the NHS does generally but it's interesting to see how things could be, even if not likely.

[Eve]

I've also noticed a big shift to healthcare assistants in GP practices. The majority of time (often two weekly) I go to get bloods done at my GP practice I see a healthcare assistant. It doesn't bother me they aren't a nurse, I see it as quite practical, they are fine to take bloods etc... freeing up the nurse appointments for those who need to see a nurse.