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I can appreciate this point of view Mark, but what I have great problems with is the amount they charge for the completion of a short report, being held for ransom over payments, rudeness, inaccuracies, and where reports take 2 -3 months before completion. We all have jobs to do, we all need to demonstrate a cost benefit to be able to continue to operate within our chosen professions. A little bit of professional courtsey would be nice. I would like to point out that it is obviously not all GPs that are causing this type of problem, but as in all walks of life, the few can tarnish the reputations of the many. Amanda Dowson > ---------- > From: Mark O'Connor[SMTP:[log in to unmask]] > Reply To: Mark O'Connor > Sent: Wednesday, October 09, 2002 11:49 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: GP's & OH services > > Sorry???? you would rather "hope" that GPs are *not coping and need > more support* than hoping it is just education they need??? Seems rather > uncharitable... > > Anyhow... > > The business model of general practice was chosen in 1948 - it will be > changing soon I expect - however until then Pleeeese understand the > basis on which we are remunerated - Most are still businesses - we > employ people - we are contracted to provide a range of services - we > receive income streams related to this work into the "Practice" - we > have expenses like salaries and office consumables and computers and > maintenance and rates and mortgages on the building and .... - some > income streams are from non NHS work and some are from reimbursements > and grants and a medley of other sources > > Our accountant takes expenses from the income - gives some to the > exchequer and the profit is divided between the partners > > Now it just so happens that the government does not wish *any element* > of the money it has agreed to provide for contracting *medical services* > to include reports for Access to medical report act,Access to medical > Records Act, Data protection Act, HGV medicals, insurance reports, > adoption reports, Power of Attorney statements, holiday cancellation > reports, passport signatures, driving licence signatures and many many > others > > The government has written down in our contracts that it does wish for > some forms and reports to be provided within that money envelope like > MED3,4,5 forms, seat belt exemption certificates, notifiable diseases, > and a few others - these are therefore part of the "terms of service" > > Most vendors require payment when parting with goods - it makes good > business sense especially when many other "less publicaly trusted > professions" are tardy with payments > > As for not being interested in patients well being then the public do > not agree with you - there is no other profession who is more trusted > to tell the truth and it is simple hard work day in and day out by > general practitioners with members of the public that has earned that > high degree of trust - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/663449.stm - > > Trying to escape paying a professional fee by appealing to some moral > higher cause of "patient care" won't wash > > Mark > > -----Original Message----- > From: Occupational Health mailing list > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Adrian & Lucy > Sent: 09 October 2002 18:11 > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: GP's & OH services > > > One particular practice I work with in Leicester is positively hostile > to OH correspondence. They actually prepare reports, but then refuse to > send them unless we pre-pay. And this is a practice where one of the > partners is a close friend of an Occupational Physician who works with > us. They do not seem the least interested in their patients' well-being > at work. > > Sadly, there seems to be a dramatic amount of education missing from > these so-called professionals, or they are not coping with the pressures > of the job and need more support. > > I hope it's the latter. > > Lucy Kenyon > M.Med.Sci. R.G.N. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Kate Venables" > <[log in to unmask]> > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Wednesday, October 09, 2002 5:48 PM > Subject: GP communications and payment > > > > Personally, I am rather bothered about a GP charging for a > doctor-to-doctor letter to an occupational physician where the intention > is to assist in the diagnosis of occupational disease, aid decisions on > fitness for work, or facilitate adjustments in the workplace. This is > not "private work". Surely, this arises directly out of the NHS > responsibilities? And the GP benefits from the exchange in receiving > feedback about occupational aspects of his/her patient's ill-health. > > > > Kate >