Your hospital referral could be blocked as GPs told to submit requests for appraisal.

Shocking and so pathic and am sure its in breach of our and your human rights.

Like really you could not dream it UP guess its one more thing to ask doctor AS it our JOB to hold these people to account by asking our GP's just like we have to ask do they work for atos and ask about GP atos impartiality.

SHOCKING : NHS bosses are set to block treatment referrals from North-East GPs until they are approved by an assessor, The Northern Echo can reveal.

Doctors and politicians have branded the pilot scheme being rolled out across Darlington and parts of Teesside this week as "extraordinary" and "healthcare rationing by the back door" and believe it could delay treatment and compromise patient safety.

thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/...

[mrsmummy]

That does sound truly shocking.

[Hidden in reply to mrsmummy]

Its only like tier 1 and 2 and i told my gp what to do with them.

More people need to do same Instead of just warring it.

After all this only one loser and it wont be them that dream this undemocratic stuff up

[Hidden]

i thought the whole idea of doctors referring patients on to specialists was they themselfs could not carry out the nessary checks that is needed for diagnosis and for treatments.

am going out now for walk..clear my head 😐

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

If i was gp I would be giving health minister what for as the must be questioning gp's professional opinion clinical judgments.

Some Whitehall quangos who uses terms like ad hoc with as much medical experience as fly on doctors ***.

[Hidden]

they have been sneekily doing this for some time. There is no legal basis for it and savvy GPs have been finding a way round it. Guess the best patient response is to demand the referral and if the 'powers that be' refuse it make a huge stink about it.

Love the cartoon Jeff

[katieoxo60]

Thanks for that Jeff, it sort of contradicts the NHS constitution. However most of the NHS seems to be a post code lottery, depends on what your local area feels needs the most money this year. As for money saving it is cheaper not to refer or diagnose. But they would have us beleive its not about cost. Correct too this could result in breach of constitution, medical negligence and breach of human rights. Some of it alsdo risks further deterrioration resulting in more cost in the long run and compromises patient safety. The doctors and politicians for once are right hands down.

[sassy59]

That's terrible JAS. Is anyone on the side of those suffering? Hope it doesn't go Nationwide.

Going off piste slightly, Petes mum went into a dementia care home yesterday and all good so far. Hope she settles well. Xxxxx

[Magpuss in reply to sassy59]

Hope all goes well for Pete's mum, it's always such a hard decision to make.

[sassy59 in reply to Magpuss]

Thank you Magpuss, it certainly was. Xxxx

[knitter]

Why do those in power seem to have little compassion for those in need, Jeff, yours and ber-10 s post today have made depressing reading.

When you think how long it takes to become a GP, you would think their view would be paramount.

[lKeith]

JeffAjaxSmith

Hi, I already have that problem here in the south east (Brighton) my GP will NOT give me a referral, instead keeps passing me over to the chest clinician at the local hospital. They in turn drag out the appointments to many months. Hopefully I've got an appointment for later this month & fully intend to start a war if a referral is not given. The NHS is broke so I don't expect too much but if needs be I'll go private if I get the referral, without it I can only join trials or go to the USA, all a bit costly but needs must. Try looking for trials in your area.

IKeith

[DecD]

I think the reactions above are a bit extreme, assuming there will be mistaken decisions at all times. The article does say that the checking group will be made up from other doctors and I should think it then comes down to the doctor sending through the "letter" (instead of case notes or file) being as thorough and explanatory as he can be. This way, it would seem that he would get a valuable second opinion. I admit that this new system looks like it will build further delays into getting correct treatment, but I read here that there are existing long delays in getting appointments to see specialists anyway.

Perhaps the new system would be more beneficial if there were a timed limit as to how quickly results from the new panel should emerge. Not a bureaucratic time scale, but a practical one. Say two weeks max. If no answer forthcoming on their doctors-only website within this time scale, referral to a specialist should be within the following two weeks.

I dunno. I read of well-meaning attempts to overcome logjams of patients in the NHS system, but later hear or read that they have failed because 'management' have stepped in to control and bury the whole thing under reams of paperwork and double-checks, ill-timed appraisals and reports.

I wish the new system well.

Dec

[Hidden]

I think eliminating inappropriate and unneccessary referrals would save time and money for all concerned including patients who would potentially be seen more quickly. But.... what is the extent of the problem, if it is big enough to justify another layer of bureaucracy why isn't this already being fed back to GPs? Has that already been tried and found ineffectual? I think the numbers should be published before changes are implemented so that valid comparisons can be made with the new system. Also if this is such a problem why are the hospitals not doing these checks, they potentially have more information and probably at a lower cost than a private company. Not for profit organisations often have unusually high overheads.

[Offcut]

I have no hope then as my hospital specialists do not fully understand my PH! 