GPs pressured into NOT sending patients to hospital

[Gromit]

Doctors are being paid incentives to NOT refer patients to hospital. They can earn an extra £9K.

// Family doctors are being ordered to slash the numbers of patients they send to hospital to earn extra cash. Six out of ten GPs said they face ‘inappropriate’ pressure to refer fewer patients and potentially deny them the best care.
The scheme is part of the controversial Quality and Outcomes Framework target system, whereby practices earn points which are converted into cash.
Each point is worth £130.51p, so a practice can earn up to £8,939 a year, which can be ploughed back into running costs or staff pay. //

http://www.dailymail....sh.html#ixzz1tiIWo9r1

Surely this should be a medical decision and should not be influenced by extra payouts and inappropriate pressure.

[Sqad]

Gromit,

I agree entirely, but unfortunately this is a state run scheme and " he who pays the piper etc" and that is why many other countries including the USA do not want to go down this route.

I have been " banging on about this on AB for years" that the NHS is GP based, resources and pay structure favours general practice rather than the hospital and what happens nowq....the Coalition put more money 64 billion into the coffers of the GP.s who by and large don.t want it.

What is the point in referring patients to the hospital if the hospitals cannot cope with the consultations or investigations.

Why do you think that the survival rates for cancer in the UK is well down the league of European countries? Because to a great extent referrals are delayed.

Things will never change, because the vast majority of the electorate are happy with their lot.....SO the NHS will continue to struggle to provide first class health care.

[Gromit]

// Things will never change, because the vast majority of the electorate are happy with their lot //

Are you sure of that. The majority of people I know complain bitterly about the Doctors. Common complaints are:
- Hard to get an appointment
- Impossible to get an home visit
- Mistakes (particularly about medication)

[Sqad]

Gromit.........the answer to your question would be answered at an election where reorganisation of the NHS was the main feature......privatisation and contraction of primary health care.

[pdq1]

Don't tell me. My other half has been waiting to see a consultant for over 2 months now in spite of being in pain. Its not good enough to be advised by the GP to take paracetemol.

[naomi24]

I think, in an effort to save the NHS money, GPs have been avoiding sending people to hospital for years. It might be a new system - but it's nothing new.

[emmie]

my GP can refer me and has to the hospital in the past, however it can be months before you see anyone.

[arwyn]

G.P's dish out B.P medication without ever finding out the cause (in my case it was another medication) all to get the extra funding.