15:45 Londonwide LMCs have put out a statement questioning whether GPs are any better off following NHS England’s Five Year Forward View, released two years ago. (Spoiler alert – they say no). You can read the full statement below.
Do your practice finances feel better than 2 years ago? Are they ‘stable’? We were told core funding should be by now. pic.twitter.com/lYSVAEhBmE
— Londonwide LMCs (@LondonwideLMCs) October 24, 2016
13:45 A woman risks having to cover a £5,000 bill for medical treatment she received on holiday because she was removed from her GP surgery list at home.
Lee Dean, 57, had been struck off because she had not attended for five years, in line with NHS England policy on ‘ghost patients’, reportsMail Online.
Although she had taken out travel insurance, her insurance company said the policy was subject to the patient being registered with a doctor.
Mrs Dean had spent four nights on a drip in a private hospital in Lanzarote after contracting cystitis, thinking that the insurance would cover it.
Her husband, Mr Dean, told the paper: ’They told me they wouldn’t pay out because Lee doesn’t have a doctor.
‘She hasn’t needed to go to the doctor’s for four or five years but she’s been going to that surgery for over 40 years.’
He added: ‘Now we’re just left waiting for the bill and we’re expecting it to be at least £5,000.’
A spokesperson for the insurer White Horse Insurance Ireland Limited said: ‘Regrettably, as Mrs Dean is not registered with a GP, we could not access the medical records required under the terms and conditions of her policy to make a fully informed decision.’
11:30 The big news story this morning is the Academy of Medical Royal College’s release of its ‘Choosing Wisely’ campaign, which tells doctors what treatments they should cut down on.
Of course, regularPulse readers will know about the treatments that GPs are being discouraged from.
That said, we will have more on that later so keep an eye out on the website.
9:15 Good morning and welcome to the live blog. Today we lead on our analysis which shows that despite spiralling costs, the GP seven-day access plans will not deliver the Conservative Party’s manifesto pledge of 8-8 routine appointments across every day of the week.
This comes as some GP Access Fund pilot leaders say that the £6 per patient continued funding is not going to be enough to continue with the extended access they have offered up until now.
