At 09:36 AM 10/4/98 +0100, you wrote:
>I would exercise a bit of caution here - first, you will put the LMC in a
>hard place and they are unlikely to give you an instant reply. They will
>prolly wait to debate it at their next full meeting!
And who can blame them!
>Second, if you prescribe viagra, your pharmacist is unlikely to dispense it,
>and he/she will just end up getting it in the neck from the patient, which
>may not improve local relationships much!
Would this be legal? If we prescribe and pharmacist can obtain are they
allowed
to refuse because of political begging? Would be interested in
clarification?
Would like to think our local pharmacists would dispense without hesitation.
>Third, if it does get dispensed, the PPA will bounce the script, the LMC
>will chicken out, and you will end up paying for it.
PPA may or may not bounce the script, but it will show up to the HA,
hopefully
on a no patient name basis. Anyone know about this??? They will then have
to
put the matter to a medical advisor.
>Fourth, if three happens, your patient won't cough up the difference between
>the FP10 charge and the cost of the script.
Why should the patient? They have already paid taxes and been promised a
comprehensive health service. The minister has not yet laid any changes
before
parliament nor used formal executive powers.
>This one ain't worth making a big issue of - I've just told my patients
>we'll wait until Dobbo sorts it out (whenever that is) and then we'll take
>it from there. So far there hasn't been a murmur of dissent.
Viagra is not worth making a big issue of...probably. The issue of state
control
of doctors is a big issue. We do need central, reasonable and publicly
debated
decisions about rationing, not extra-statutory ministerial ramblings.
Where this
is an attempt to control doctors OUTSIDE control that parliament has
allowed it is
gob-smacking that so far our profession is being pathetically limp and
impotent.
JB
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