With stories proclaiming ‘Crisis in the NHS’ an almost permanent rash in our media, the prospect of charging patients for GP and accident and emergency services will soon become a reality. An increasingly elderly population riddled with multiple long-term conditions combined with the hangover of continued austerity means that the numbers no longer stack up for an NHS free at the point of care.
Family doctors are said to be drawing up plans to start charging patients for evening and weekend consultations, warning ministers that they cannot fund seven-day provision within their current resources. The Times reports that GPs are planning to sidestep restrictions on charges by allowing for payments to a third party company if patients want treatment more quickly.
Actually, this option already exists online. Smartphone users can download any number of apps offering medical consultations in digital form in exchange for a monthly subscription. For instance, Babylon Health offers unlimited GPs for £5 per month or £50 per year.
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