Goodbye NHS...
It is very reassuring to know that you can walk into a GP surgery in the islands and get seen, even though they may want you to make an appointment - and only if you can get one in the next 24 hours.
Now, NHS24 in a spectacular piece of empire building, have suggested that they take over daytime calls to free up GPs for evening work, so that the Executive can meet their promise of extending access hours for the public.
Having had experience of NHS24, I can advise that it involves phoning a nurse who takes the details and promises to get someone to phone you back. Eventually - if you are lucky - you get a call telling you to go to A&E at the Lewis Hospital. Of last three times we had to call, twice we never got a call back, and had to chase the phone line after a couple of hours, and the third time we gave up and went to A&E. When we got home, we were called to ask for further information to allow them to give us advice. We played along, and the advice was to "Go to A&E".
With the GPs having negotiated a very nice package, thank you very much, are they likely to give up their £1,000 (yes! £1,000) per day payment for sitting at the hospital in A&E waiting for NHS24 rejects to work in evenings and at weekends without another 'enhancement'?
So, having shown their hand, look forward to the Executive being completely and utterly on the back-foot as they open negotiations with the medical profession in a desperate attempt to meet a specific election promise.
And a poorer service for the rest of us, as the money - our money - is found from core budgets. This ties in exactly with the currently proposals for the NHS in the Western Isles.
Now, NHS24 in a spectacular piece of empire building, have suggested that they take over daytime calls to free up GPs for evening work, so that the Executive can meet their promise of extending access hours for the public.
Having had experience of NHS24, I can advise that it involves phoning a nurse who takes the details and promises to get someone to phone you back. Eventually - if you are lucky - you get a call telling you to go to A&E at the Lewis Hospital. Of last three times we had to call, twice we never got a call back, and had to chase the phone line after a couple of hours, and the third time we gave up and went to A&E. When we got home, we were called to ask for further information to allow them to give us advice. We played along, and the advice was to "Go to A&E".
With the GPs having negotiated a very nice package, thank you very much, are they likely to give up their £1,000 (yes! £1,000) per day payment for sitting at the hospital in A&E waiting for NHS24 rejects to work in evenings and at weekends without another 'enhancement'?
So, having shown their hand, look forward to the Executive being completely and utterly on the back-foot as they open negotiations with the medical profession in a desperate attempt to meet a specific election promise.
And a poorer service for the rest of us, as the money - our money - is found from core budgets. This ties in exactly with the currently proposals for the NHS in the Western Isles.
7 comments:
Don't know which GP surgery you go to but you have to wait a lot longer than 24 hours for an appointment with a GP where I go (in Stornoway)
'...GPs having negotiated a very nice package, thank you very much, are they likely to give up their £1,000 (yes! £1,000) per day payment...'
I have a relative who is a GP up here and they do not receive £1000 per shift for out of hours. Not that I'm saying what they do receive is at all fair or sustainable.
Alasdair, I have been told that GP's receive £1,000 per shift for being on call at weekends at the Hospital.
Aah; don't know about Sat/Sun, but I know of at least two weekday evenings where they weren't paying out a grand a time
We can all have a gripe and a groan but I think we must have one of the best health services in Scotland if not the UK, I suppose the trick will be how to sustain it.
I see that the retention of A&E services at Monklands is leading to cuts in other areas
anon (top of page) Not in an emergency you wouldn't
anon (top of page) Not in an emergency you wouldn't
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