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I think some-one needs to point out that when we changed we were allowed to drop out but that it was one out all out not an individual choice and that we pay for the privilege. Well you lot do I opted out for a 1 in 1 with no holidays. The PCTs took what HMG said was a reasonable amount and chose to spend it how they liked. It is not GPs fault that OOH cover is diabolical it is the PCTs and then HMGs. I assume that the % taken for the compulsory opt out is increasing year on year so GPs are paying more to opt out and luckily earning more because they are working harder. What I do think GPs are responsible for is the lack of access in-hours that my A&E husband and also fellow mothers in the playground report to me. I need to catch up with an ex-partner to find out what is going on to make life so difficult but perhaps some-one on the list can explain. Locally having opted out of OOH (compulsorily not that we wanted to stay in) GPs now seem to shut access at lunchtime and offer fewer emergency appts. In the local city where hubbie works surgeries insist that patients ring in on the day between 8 and 8:30 only and can have no other access to an appointment. A&E attendances have increased by 20% since the new contract and its mainly patients who have tried to get an appt but can't and before any-one says (as I used to) that its not true hubbie has tried to ring up to make one for the patient (to educate them as to how to behave) and he can't either get through as phones are diverted or can't get past the receptionist. Is this now standard and can any-one please tell me why? I have been contemplating coming out of retirement to do a few locums when number 2 son starts play group but am seriously thinking that GP is not where I want to be anymore. My Nan had a visit from a GPR yesterday who is doing his VTS and plans to go straight into private practice. For the first time in my idealistic life I wasn't scandalised but actually thought that that might be the way to go. Yours despondently Portia In message <[log in to unmask]> , Paul Bromley <[log in to unmask]> writes >Nothing would induce me to do OOH again. 3 years I moved to a lower >earning practice (quality of life). I did some OOH to cover my salary >drop. I took a big tax hit on this extra work. having stopped OOH in >August, I am now getting off the tax treadmill, but obviously still >taking the hit without the money coming in. > >Regarding OOH I think we need to get the message to them that to do >any OOH work we would increase our weekly hours to dangerous levels. >Would you fly with a pilot who had not had prior rest?? I remember the >bad old days when I started at 8.00am on Friday morning, knowing that >I would then be working till 6.30 on the Monday - not a good feeling, >and certainly nothing I would like to go back to. > > >> I'm in 2 minds myself. On the one hand, I would give my support to calls >> for boycotting C&B for example. But I do wonder if the 0% is the prodrome >> to get us to take our eyes off the ball before bigger battles come along >> (OOH springs to mind). > Portia ex-GP, now full time mother and loving it! reply to : [log in to unmask] Illness is an invented label attached by a monopolistic medical profession in order to catch, subjugate and exploit its clients --Ivan Illich ________________________________________________________________________________