Monday 14 December 2020

Time To Stuff Their Mouths With More Gold?

More than 100,000 patients will not be able to get the Covid vaccine from their family doctor after their GP surgeries decided not to take part in its deployment, the Guardian can reveal.

Who is surprised? Anyone? Bueller? 

Dozens of GP practices in England have chosen not to join the NHS’s coronavirus vaccination programme amid concerns their workloads are already too heavy, they have too few staff and that patients could suffer if practices have to cut back other services so doctors can administer the injections.

Let me tell you about my experience with GP services during Covid; an 'appointment' has been 'the doctor will call you sometime today', a visit to the surgery (when graciously permitted) entails standing outside in the freezing cold until one of the four receptionists deigns to stop gossiping with one of the others and come over to see you, and as for 'cutting other services', who knew they had any left to cut?

There is concern that, once a surgery has signed up, the length of the contract – nine months – could mean that patients may struggle to access care during that time.

That will hardly be a novel experience for patients, now, will it? 

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Senior partners at our practice make a great living only working three days a week. It might be nice for us cannon fodder patients if they got off their rears and did the odd extra day (poor lambs) to save a few lives.

Stonyground said...

I live in a rural area which may or may not be relevant. The service that I get from my local surgery is pretty good. This is the problem for those who believe that overall the NHS is really terrible. There are plenty of people who have a good experience that they honestly believe to be totally free. In fact, for most of the nation's under achievers, it actually is free. Why would you complain about a service that is paid for by other people?

ivan said...

Maybe not so bad a thing considering the contra indications of this mRNA vaccine.

JuliaM said...

"Senior partners at our practice make a great living only working three days a week. "

Ah, well, the local golf club is no doubt benefitting...

"The service that I get from my local surgery is pretty good. This is the problem for those who believe that overall the NHS is really terrible. "

Oh, I can well believe some practices are doing well - perhaps those that believe the patient is the customer?

"Maybe not so bad a thing considering the contra indications of this mRNA vaccine."

The nurse that fainted on TV was a bit of an 'Ooops!' moment...