GP service, lazy bastards

[woohoo]

You could also argue that as you didn't die it wasn't that urgent, so making you wait an age was efficient. That seems a bit cruel, but I'm sure it's how the bean counters think.

You can argue about what defines efficiency all day and it looks like your about to. But the point is the service in my experience is poor once your out of emergency care.

Though this is just based on my experience and some friends and a couple of articles I've read. Oh and anyone that I've met that has used my local GP service.

I think I've posted before but I'm happy to pay more tax if it resulted in reform of the GP service and the NHS.

[VectraMan]

You could also argue that as you didn't die it wasn't that urgent, so making you wait an age was efficient. That seems a bit cruel, but I'm sure it's how the bean counters think.

But isn't it a bit like programming, in that if you have to fix a bug in something you've just been working on it's a lot easier than fixing a bug in something you did 6 months ago? If patients are in the system for a year because of the delays, doctors must have 100s of patients on the go. It would be much more efficient if doctors were able to focus on a much smaller number of patients,as each one would be sorted out in a couple weeks.

[scooterscot]

Scooter in deconstruction mode.

More effective it may be, but your argument that it's more efficient means nothing without considering what it costs relative to what the equivalent NHS procedure costs.

Thankfully health comes before cost out here. I like the insurance based system. What could be more important?

According to the OECD the UK has a longer life expectancy than Germany both overall and for men, but lower for women, and Germany spends more per patient per year and more as a %age of GDP to boot.

You have a funny idea of what efficient means.

Brilliant! And yet according to the OECD with the extra hours of life you get to work longer as your bonus.

1397 hours per average worker in Germany.

1654 hours per average worker in UK.

Personally I'd rather be in the beer garden than the office. But each unto his own and all that.

[doodab]

You can argue about what defines efficiency all day and it looks like your about to. But the point is the service in my experience is poor once your out of emergency care.

I'm not disagreeing with you. I'm just pointing out that it's poor because it's efficient. This is what making things efficient does to levels of service beyond a certain point.

[VectraMan]

I think I've posted before but I'm happy to pay more tax if it resulted in reform of the GP service and the NHS.

Or just pay for healthcare. I wonder if I should have offered cash when I was first referred.

[scooterscot]

Expiation (n)
the act of making amends or reparation for guilt or wrongdoing; atonement.

No it means telling it like is and stuff.

[scooterscot]

Or just pay for healthcare. I wonder if I should have offered cash when I was first referred.

That is the correct answer.

[woohoo]

According to the OECD the UK has a longer life expectancy than Germany both overall and for men, but lower for women, and Germany spends more per patient per year and more as a %age of GDP to boot.

You have a funny idea of what efficient means.

A link would be good. I looked at life expectancy on wiki which had a number of sources and UK was behind Germany. The link on the OECD shows that we are behind Germany.

[doodab]

But isn't it a bit like programming, in that if you have to fix a bug in something you've just been working on it's a lot easier than fixing a bug in something you did 6 months ago? If patients are in the system for a year because of the delays, doctors must have 100s of patients on the go. It would be much more efficient if doctors were able to focus on a much smaller number of patients,as each one would be sorted out in a couple weeks.

I don't know how much that is true. Certainly initial referrals and diagnoses and starting of treatment could be done quicker in a lot of cases but once you're in the system looking at it more often generally won't make it get better any faster. Many health conditions require long term follow-up care, or like mine are simply a case of managing the symptoms until the patient finally keels over, and operations need a certain amount of recovery time and so on.

[doodab]

A link would be good. I looked at life expectancy on wiki which had a number of sources and UK was behind Germany. The link on the OECD shows that we are behind Germany.

Compare your country by OECD

You might need to dial the countries in yourself.