Private general practice is a new phenomenon in this (rural) area, but
no doubt some of you city types have had to deal with the following
situations:
1. Patient who has just seen private GP turns up at our surgery with a
prescription from him, which he wants converted (instantly!) into an NHS
one. The said private GP denies having suggested this.
2. Patient sees private GP, who writes to us asking us to organise stool
culture, blood tests etc. He obviously can't deny this one!
We are used to having patients come back to us in this way from private
consultations with consultants - to whom we have referred the patient -
but the private GP doesn't have the benefit of a referral letter with
(in one of the above cases) over 30 years personal knowledge of the
patient.
Our feeling as a practice is that patients who choose to see this doctor
should expect to pay for the prescriptions he issues, and that he should
arrange such investigations as he thinks fit on a private basis too.
At the very least, we should insist that the patients see one of us
before we issue any prescription or make arrangements for investigation.
What does the team think?
--
Michael
|