Ahmad wrote about PCGs from the patients viewpoint, about waiting
lists,about divisions and disputes between doctors, about policing each
other.......
We, in our practice, have waiting lists - they may not be called that,
we perhaps should never admit to it, but to get an appointment to see me
at the moment is a wait of 3 weeks.
One of our patients has a letter published today in the local press,
putting his complaint loudly and clearly.
It is a well written letter, it is also true.
He is not really moaning at us -he challeges the government to come to
Aldershot, leave their phone number with reception and join the queue...
What worries me is the risk of being hauled over the coals by *the PCG
board* most of whom will not be doctors, may not have insight into the
intricacies of the problem, but none the less will have the ability,
perhaps even the authority to dictate how we rectify the situation.
Rectify it we must, none of us dispute that, but already as we are part
of a fundholding consortium, we have had the *board meeting* pronouncing
on how awful it is, suggesting responses to the paper and the CHC to
explain it is not their practice he means, and of course theirs is so
much better it couldn't happen to their patients (ha ha), and wanting
to know our statistics and workload figures (as in appointments offered
etc.)
This will surely become a common scenario as patients learn they can
play one practice off against another and apparently get the service
they want in the end.
And what will happen to us?
I may not stick around long enough to find out.
KT
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Katie Law
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