GP's, NHS & sportsmen - a rant

[daz h]

Certainly some opinions here, just need YT to add his bit to the debate .

I had a back problem (NOT running induced problem, but it was affecting my running considerably). My GP told me I could still walk so wasn't that bad, there was nothing he could do for me (no examination) and would not refer me to a specialist, as there were more important cases and too long a waiting list.

So I put up with it for another 12 months, believing I would just have to wait till I was totally crocked.

In desperation 3 weeks ago I booked an appointment with the osteo (the one that also treats the NHS referrals), and 1/2 hour later my back is better than for years. . Hardly surprising I was p****d off with the GP.

If I was in charge of the NHS , I would give all fit, healthy, sporting types preferrential treatment for everything. And the rest could bloody well wait at the back of the cue. Sod 'em. Sorted.

so everyone that doent run 40miles a week or cycle 50 miles a week wouldnt get treated molehill, shocking
my amanda
doesnt do loads of exercise had an abnormal smear test 4 months ago, anyway she was diagnosed with that word, yes cancer
its been hell but anyway , excellent treatment from the NHS and she recieved a clear result yesterday.
wot a relief, nice one NHS
i cant fault them
molehill like me your bad back etc was caused by you abusing it same as me lifting heavy objects, simple as that
i would never call the NHS
when you need them there brilliant

[Wheeze]

Daz, so good to hear that the all clear has been sounded. You are right, for some things the NHS is excellent and cannot be replaced. They all begin with C.
Cancer
Children
Childbirth
Cardiac
Casualty

i.e. the Big Life and Death stuff. Anything else and I'm afraid its everyman for himself. And to be honest, its all very well bleating on 'I pay my taxes so I have a right...' etc etc, but the cost of just doing the above is as much as the economy can stand. If we all took large chunks of responsibilty to balance the big heavy rights we demand, things would be better all round.
But...sigh...there'll always be those sponging b*stards that take advantage.

[lantern rouge]

Complex debate with few black and white answers, but Wheeze, you sum it up nicely. I work in a busy city centre Intensive Care Unit and could tell tales to alternately make your hair curl and blood boil. I have lots of opinions but not many simple, universal answers. Living responsibly has to be the best course of action, but getting people to do that isn't easy.

[Carlos the Jackal]

er.... hasn't everybody been trained with our money to one extent or another? Should lawyers, CEOs of large companies, plumbers, physicists all have to work for the state for 25 years??

Less than 30% of NHS consultants do ANY private work. The government screwed up the new consultant contract because they thought it would force people to do more NHS work - in fact it transpired that the average consultant did in excess of 50 hours per week for the NHS and all the sums were wrong causing a huge extra pay bill for the treasury - d'oh.


I would count non-serious repetitive use training injuries as somewhere in the sports equipment / nutrition / luxury item field that we might reasonably be expected to pay for or wait for - and I HATE private medicine

cheers P

paulo, i am a afraid you are talking rather stupid and you should know better.
first, less than 30% of consultants are doing ANY private work assumes that consultants have morals , well WHO is doing all this fecking BUPA work then? the pope?
secondly, if you are correct then these 30% should be sacked and thrown in jail and all their possessions should be confiscated.
thirdly, plumbers are usually (until thatcher the milk snatcher ended all apprenticeships) paid for by the employer or by the employee himself in the way of vocational courses.
lastly, i am quite disturbed by your quote of actually hating private medicine, but you seem to give a reassuring thumbs up to the new labour fascist by claiming that non serious repetitive injuries should be privatized.

[Wheeze]

Is this Comrade gaz returned to the fold??

[pete simpson]

How about this then?
I entered the Ultra Tour of Mont Blanc, and went to my GP to ask him to sign the form saying "having examined me there were no contra indications..."
He took my blood pressure,asked a few questions then demanded £45, saying that these examinations were not covered by NHS,and he would soon be meeting colleaugues at his practice to draw up a protocol for Sports Medicals,and would be recommending £90.
My protestations that a) Everyone I have asked was charged nothing or £10
and b) that the blood pressure check etc are only what he should be doing regularly as part of his NHS contract
fell on deaf ears. Moreover writing to the PCT only achieved a referral back to the GP for comment,and writing to my MP got no response at all!!
Does the GP have no conscience now about private charges??
Does the NHS now have no responsibility for preventive health care and exe
rcise?
Does this mean that I can never afford to enter an event in France again??
Does this mean that all the overseas championship events will become unaffordable?
How long before UK events require a medical disclaimer to satisfy their insurance??
Has the FRA committee come across this one before??
Can the committee take this up with the BMA or whichever body (in the Labyrinthine Health Services) is responsible for this disgraceful situation?
Do a lifetime of paying Nat Ins and Tax buy no services whatever??
Any advice on where to go next.
Fuming,as you can see...........

[jmacewan]

There are quite a few things that GPs do that are not covered by the contract they have with the NHS, always been the case.

The BMA suggest typical fees, what your doc is charging seems in line with fees suggested here:

http://www.bma.org.uk/ap.nsf/Content/noagreement~onlybygp

[CL]

How about this then?
I entered the Ultra Tour of Mont Blanc, and went to my GP to ask him to sign the form saying "having examined me there were no contra indications..."
He took my blood pressure,asked a few questions then demanded £45, saying that these examinations were not covered by NHS,and he would soon be meeting colleaugues at his practice to draw up a protocol for Sports Medicals,and would be recommending £90.
My protestations that a) Everyone I have asked was charged nothing or £10
and b) that the blood pressure check etc are only what he should be doing regularly as part of his NHS contract
fell on deaf ears. Moreover writing to the PCT only achieved a referral back to the GP for comment,and writing to my MP got no response at all!!
Does the GP have no conscience now about private charges??
Does the NHS now have no responsibility for preventive health care and exe
rcise?
Does this mean that I can never afford to enter an event in France again??
Does this mean that all the overseas championship events will become unaffordable?
How long before UK events require a medical disclaimer to satisfy their insurance??
Has the FRA committee come across this one before??
Can the committee take this up with the BMA or whichever body (in the Labyrinthine Health Services) is responsible for this disgraceful situation?
Do a lifetime of paying Nat Ins and Tax buy no services whatever??
Any advice on where to go next.
Fuming,as you can see...........

Peter who do you think should pay for YOUR medical?

[XRunner]

I think I should be given £150.00 for NOT smoking.
Smokers offered money to give up

Smokers in the poorest areas of Dundee are being offered £150 worth of groceries by the health service if they are able to give up cigarettes.

[invalidpassword]

re: doctors charging for a certificate for running in Europe.

My doctor didn't even examine me! I asked if he was going to check my heart or something and he said that I looked 'ok'! In and out in 2 minutes. Charged me £12.

I thought that my medical was already 'paid for' when the doctor picked up his pay packet!