On Sunday 24 October 2004 20:37, Fay Wilson wrote:
> Well maybe. But one of the things citizens need to know is that choosing a
> private and/or distant provider may mean their local NHS unit becomes
> unsustainable. I haven't noticed this explained in the patient information
> drafts I've seen.
I can see that if patients on the waiting list suddenly disappear to elsewhere
this doesn't reduce the income in the local provider for that service, since
(leaving out a case where the reason for the waiting list was to drive
private practice for the consultants involved, or to demonstrate a need for a
further consultant or other increase in staffing) the local provider will
continue to put through its maximum rate of cases.
If the PCT is brought to bankruptcy by it, well, it was underfunded to do work
that existed and was clearly to be done, and priced by the government.
I don't think there is global overcapacity.
What is interesting as well is how waiting lists caused by people exercising
choice of place and piling up in front of a favoured unit somewhere will be
handled. They can't really be blamed for not getting the cases done, and the
patients have been offered alternatives, so there might actually be a tension
between good and quick brought out in to a market situation.
--
Adrian Midgley Open Source software is better
GP, Exeter http://www.defoam.net/
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