The trouble with GPs

Is that they seem to care too much about money. Rather a lot of them at least. A survey published today suggested that as many as 50% of them would like to charge patients for every consultation: a fee of £20-30 has been proposed. What is wrong with those guys?

The fundamental principle of the NHS since its inception in 1947 is that medical care should be free at the point of delivery, the cost being funded through taxes and other insurance contributions. Without this, it was argued, patients would add in a financial consideration to their decision whether to consult a doctor, forcing a difficult decision for the millions of people who are on low fixed incomes or benefits. And we know where that leads: to an American-type system where peoples' credit status is checked before a medical professional comes anywhere near them. And from that little principle, anything up to 50 million Americans get no medical care at all- strange for what is still the wealthiest country in the world. Still, they know what they're doing. Apparently.

Full time GPs can earn £100,000 a year in Britain. They are still among the most trusted and respected members of the community. They work hard, but the rewards go way beyond money.

I was at a medical conference the other day and at my table over lunch, several of my colleagues were trotting out the usual whinges of a GP: the pressure, the ever increasing demand, the mountains of paperwork, etc etc. I was forced to remind them that, bottom line, a GP has a very good job, that they should feel themselves honoured and privileged to be lucky enough to have such a good job. They all immediately agreed, sure, yes, that's a given they responded. But it didn't stop them whining. Get with the programme GPs: you're part of the NHS. If you don't like it, go into private medicine, and good luck with that. Less than 1% of the population can afford to engage a private GP, so they'll find their surgeries a little sparsely attended...