Graham Ross wrote:
>
> Paul Caldwell 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?
>
> To answer your question, an emergency is an emergency.If your opinion is
> that urgent treatment is required you must refer. It is then up to the
> HA/Trust whether to treat.I can see no defence to the GP who fails to
> refer simply because the HA/Trust has asked him not to. Refer and pass
> responsibility onto the HA/Trust.
Adrian Elliot-Smith wrote
>Clearly GPs that become involved in administration of secondary care
>(e.g. total fundholders or embryonic Dorrel flowers) will not have such a
>convenient fallback position. Beware!
As a Total Fundholder I don't feel any differently about it.
I will not restrict my referrals until somebody changes my terms
of service from having to provide all necessary medical care.
The consequence can only be overspending and getting expelled
which would defeat the object for them and me, whereas if I stop
providing care I can be fined, imprisoned, struck off or whatever.
Doug Jenkinson
Keyworth Total Funding Pilot
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