At 14:12 06/11/1996 UT, Paul wrote:
>I have today had a missive from East Riding HA asking us to restrict emergency
>and routine referrals, as they are predicted to overspend, on pain of halting
>elective work. Is this ethical? How should one, or should one, do this? What
>is our legal position? Will we be blamed if, as most likely happens, referrals
>continue upwards? If the PR shit hits the fan, will ERH say " well of course
>the patient should have got his treatment, but it's the clinical
>responsibility of the GP to refer"?
>
Are they stopping elective surgery or out-patient activity?
If it is only the former then there should no problem making a referral as
it is then the responsibility of the consultant to decide the priority of
treatment, within the constraints laid down by his trusts accountants :-(
and the HA accountants:-(
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Dr David J Plews
email: [log in to unmask]
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