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BP guidance is not in real world

I foresee hospital referrals going through the roof for ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Buying in expensive equipment is only realistic for big practices who have enough money in the pot to make a big initial outlay.

NICE predicts making such investments will cut down the drug budget and save money in the long run. Will practices have to use their own cash to buy in the equipment?

If so, will the money that has been saved on cutting down drug use go to the practices? I doubt it. Not much incentive, really. GPs will end up referring to secondary care, which will cause headaches for commissioning groups. NICE is not thinking about what will happen in the real world.

From Dr Julian Hall,
Halesowen, West Midlands