Should people be fined for wasting GPs / Hospital's time?

[Wrong-Direction]

Airlines have a check in time, if you aren't there by then you lose the flight and any stand by customers get it instead. Therefore airlines overbook as they know x% are not going to show.

I'm sure it's not beyond someone's capability of adapting this system to deal with no shows on the NHS

Surely people would be waiting even longer then normal if everyone showed up!

 

[jackanada]

The cost of administering any fine system, and the potential to stop people seeking medical treatment, particularly when early intervention is always more effective in terms of both cost and outcome make it a no go for me.

I do think there is a potential for grading peoples visits to the GP, say on a 1-5 scale, 1 being why on earth are you here this is ridiculous, 5 being holy cow you really should have come a month ago/ shit lets call you an ambulance.

A pattern of 1s and 2s could be picked up and the patient in question spoken to about the drain on resources they were causing and that persisting this way could then lead to withdrawal of service.
Anyone who only came in with 4s and 5s would be given an extra appointment for a health check with their GP and also to talk about any issues they may have which they feel are minor but may need attention.

 

[goldstone68]

As now I have reached the age where I seem to be going to the doctors more often, I agree that missed appointments should be charged for. Also people who are not at the surgery when they are called for should be put back a bit and made to wait, nothing pisses me off more than hearing someones name being called three or four times while the rest of us have made the effort to get there before you are due to be, it should be if you are not there when called it should be the next patient as soon as.

 

[beorhthelm]

Interesting and it has some merit but politicians would see any root & branch change like this to be a way of saving money rather than improving treatment. Any re-organisation needs to be cross-party and clinician led; any politician coming within a mile of it should be summarily shot.

corrected. i dont think accountants looking over the operation would be a bad idea if we want to reduce inefficiency and waste. its the politicians that bollocks it all up. if we want to really see productive change we'd probably have to remove responsibility from the Health Secretary.

 

[skipper734]

Burwash road? I had to leave them, utterly atrocious surgery.

That's how things change, and not for the better. Forty five years ago under Dr Yauner, Burwash road was a fine example of what most people would hope their family GP's surgery was like. When Dr Yauner retired the Doctor that took it over was nowhere near as good. ( Being polite.) I'm sure HB&B would agree, ( Although he would have been very young at the time.)

 

[BensGrandad]

If we all knew what was wrong to us we would be doctors for the odd waste of time that happens there are much more importrant decisions made regrading life..

 

[desprateseagull]

start of a slippery slope..