Notts doctor: 'NHS putting cash before its patients'
A DOCTOR has warned that patients are being put at risk to save money.
In a stinging attack on the way the new healthcare system is being run, Dr Ian Campbell, a GP in Carlton, said doctors and nurses were being "pushed beyond the point of safety" and "asked to take risks with your health in order to save money".
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Speaking out: Dr Ian Campbell is a GP in Carlton.
He says doctors are being forced to reduce the number of people they send to hospital and that they may not be able to refer some patients, even those with genuine health problems.
In a letter sent out to 6,000 patients Dr Campbell outlined his concerns.
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He said: "What this means to you, our patients, is that you may no longer be entitled to a hospital doctor's opinion even if you, and we, think it appropriate. You may no longer be entitled to your operation if it is deemed to be an unnecessary expense.
"Delaying or avoiding hospital investigations will inevitably put our patients at greater risk. As doctors and nurses we believe we are being pushed beyond the point of safety. In other words, we are being asked to take risks with your health in order to save money."
The Government's shake-up of the NHS has abolished what were formerly known as primary care trusts – the organisations that paid for and planned healthcare services for an area.
They have been replaced with clinical commissioning groups – which are led by GPs.
In his letter Dr Campbell detailed how his particular clinical commissioning group, Nottingham North and East, which caters for 145,000 people, had "overspent" – a figure believed to be around £4 million – and is now having to make savings.
Speaking to the Post, he said: "Doctors should never have been allowed to be in charge of budgets, instead of blaming politicians people will now blame doctors when things go wrong – and they clearly are."
He forecast that in the future patients may have to forgo much-needed operations because they are too costly.
Nottingham North and East clinical commissioning group chairman Dr Tony Marsh said Dr Campbell was a "relatively low voice" in the organisation, but he said that some of the 20 practices in the group "may be making too many hospital referrals".
Dr Marsh said that there had been an overspend in the budget, but this was being accounted for by "contingency reserves".
"The real challenge will be next year. All the practices are going to have to work together, and share expertise and knowledge," he said.
A statement from the Nottingham North and East clinical commissioning group said: "We need to achieve savings of just over 3% next year, which approximates to £4 million.
"One of the challenges faced nationally is that of reducing the number of referrals to hospital."
See the full letter from Dr Ian Campbell at www.thisisnottingham.co.uk
12 Comments
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by SteveBasford
Tuesday, March 12 2013, 8:00AM
“Dear Dr Campbell. Thank you for your concern. Now, can I possibly get a Sunday appointment or would that mean one less round of golf?”
by mof_gedling
Sunday, March 10 2013, 9:40PM
“nope i paid attention, it was gordon doing all the dazzling,”
by HucknallRed
Sunday, March 10 2013, 5:11PM
“mof_gedling,
there was plenty of moaning and groaning together with several controversial tv documentaries when the PFIs were being dished out.
Guess you were too dazzled by the shiny new hospitals to pay attention at the time.”
by LestaLM
Sunday, March 10 2013, 11:40AM
“Spot on there BethanyW, GP salaries rocketed under Labour and they should now do the decent thing and have their salary cut. Many people are struggling with pay freezes, pay reductions, reduction in hours and redundancy so it's about time that those who benefitted greatly under Labour's spending binge started to pay something back into the kitty.”
by BethanyW
Sunday, March 10 2013, 11:31AM
“Perhps if GPs were to provide a serive at weekends and in the evenings there would be more support for them. Many doctors earn well over £100,000 each year for frankly doing far less than they used to prior to the ridiculous new contracts were agreed by the previous government.”
by mattgaltress
Saturday, March 09 2013, 10:48PM
“This reorganization is the last thing the NHS needs.
And with regard to Mid Staffs, it happened exactly because of too much focus on costs; it was applying for Foundation Trust status.”
by smshogun
Saturday, March 09 2013, 5:08PM
“The real issue is that doctors treat medical conditions and are not financiers or financial experts, they are paid excellent salaries to treat medical conditions, which most to well; not spend time dealing with budgets which is time that could be spent with patients.
Its not too long ago that the attitude of the NHS was early diagnosis and treatment to deal with a condition sooner rather than later as this was the most cost effective way, deal with the problem now instead of numerous other costly additional problems later. But, we have all seen Common Purpose infiltrate the NHS and seen them publicly proclaim it as a successful measure of what they have achieved, three additional staff per practising medically qualified staff member.”
by mof_gedling
Saturday, March 09 2013, 3:35PM
“i didnt hear any moans and groans when the PFi was being dished out,
"ooh look at our new hospitals,arent we brilliant,"
now its payback time.”
by torvilldean
Saturday, March 09 2013, 12:33PM
“This is awful news! :(”
by dickyden
Saturday, March 09 2013, 11:53AM
“This is a timely statement by an experienced GP. Cost has always been ths criteria for treatment by the hospitals. I was told ten years ago that a certain invasive investigation to be carried out on myself was "very expensive to do" and had to be justified "especially in a person of my age!" I was 57. The test did actually show that "a very serious condition" existed in my heart. The cause of this condition was established to be the result of multiple injuries I had received in a terrible RTA I had been involve in some 5 years earlier( Two people died). The Doctor said he had a su****ian that there was some underlying cause of the symptoms I was experiancing. He did also comment that the condition,if un diagnosed and treated would have ended my life very soon! Maybe even months rather than yesrs. He really had to push for the tests to be carried out. I have been told that today that in a similar situation, no tests would be offered as "a 57 year old is not worth trhe expence"!!!
Its the Liverpool Pathway for the 55 and older from now on then!!!
This will be the new Labour NHS, after all they pioneered this in Stafford didn't they?
It is to the Torie's shame that they did not point to the then Labour involvement in this awful situation, 1200 in just one Hospital, how many people nationwide died because of this instutionalised neglect?”