Healthy cut from GPs lists?

This all about "Freedom of Information" it costs Councils, NHS etc millions to administer. Many of the requests are from companies for commercial purposes. I did post information about this a while ago, as I know it costs the County Council my DD works for £1000's a year.

The private company is Capita, who are 'asking' GPs for a list every year.

www.pulsetoday.co.uk/your-practice/practice-topics/practice-income/gps-told-to-identify-ghost-patients-every-year-in-disgraceful-list-cleansing-drive/20032299.article

Just wondering how a private company will know if a patient hasn't been seen at a surgery in the last 5 years. Where is this information coming from and what are this private company going to do with the names and addresses of all these people? I wonder how much this is going to cost the NHS.

daphnidill.Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. Don't know about the shares but I do know that one of them does very well with his care homes and private clinic where he sends his NHS patients.
Why do you think this proposal has been put forward: because 'they' know it's happening.

Sadly a few bad apples in every basket.

The new proposal would suggest that not all GPs practice that 'normal practice'.

BTW- the it's been normal practice to write to patients if not seen for 3 years- anf for over 75s every year- if not seen- for a very long time. Certainly for many years before DH retired 10 years ago.

Some could be.

@petra

Maybe thos GPs made good decisions and/or got lucky with their shares.

Are you suggesting they're being paid for thousands of dead patients?

Just checked- when someone moves- when they register with a new GP, that GP should then request from the Health Authority (or previous health Authority) for the notes to be sent on- and the patient will then be de-registered from previous GP.

Many people do not bother- and move abroad, or don't register with another GP for one reason or another.

Thank you for this ThatBags: '"Under the initiative, those who have not seen their GP for five years will be sent two letters asking them to respond.

"If they do not reply saying they still wish to be registered with their doctor, they will be removed from the practice list.

"The idea is to find out whether patients no longer require services or have moved house, left the country or died.",

it makes perfect sense- anyone moving to new area should de-register from their GP and re-register with a new one- but many just don't bother and stay on the books forever.

Those who emigrate btw, must de-register by law- but 1000s of expats do not- and return regularly for treatment in the UK, illegally and un-checked. I had a 'free prescription card that was valid for many years after we moved- but never used it as it would have been fraudulent- but I know many continue to use them.

I think it's a good idea. They are paid per patient so if some have died or moved they are getting money for nothing. Sorry if I sound a bit bitter there, but at my last surgery 2 doctors were driving around in cars that cost £100,000 +
Tegan You will have to do what I do: start queuing at 7.30 in the morning.

I do not think the request unreasonable.There was a study some years ago that showed that something like 10% of patients on GP's lists, were dead, had moved, or otherwise disappeared. That is a lot of money being paid to GP surgeries that they are not entitled to and in these cash-strapped times the money could be better used elsewhere in the NHS.

When they closed our village surgery they promised to allocate appointments at the surgery in the next village to compensate. Phoned up this morning [phoned at 8 am; no answer; 8.05 phone engaged;8.09 now fully booked] for an appointment [needed to be seen today; cystitis ouch] and, guess what. They've stopped doing that. Did get to see a nurse practitioner at another surgery which was lucky as two doctors are off sick and one is on holiday. But still have to see a doctor next week as the cystitis is probably caused by the atrophy that I needed to see the doctor about. Don't know what will happen when two new estates are built. Grrr.#sorryjustneededamoan

At least they have a GP practice. Come October I and 4000 other people round here won't have a GP at all!

I thought that, too bags, but I suppose there may be people who move away and don't register with a practice in their new area until they are unwell - which could be more than five years!

I've always thought you didn't need to inform your GP you were moving out of their practice area because, when you apply to go on another GP's register, I presumed the new practice would contact the old one asking for the records.

If this doesn't happen, I now understand some of the questions my current GP has asked me over the last ten years I've been with him. All of the answers he wanted will have been in my notes. I'm beginning to think he doesn't have them.

It looks as if the system badly needs an updating effort.

I noticed the Daily Mail had their usual Shock Horror headline about this. It seem perfectly sensible to me to check that your patients actually exist, and haven't moved away or died. I would have thought that most people who might be considered vulnerable would be having some sort of contact with their surgery anyway.

never understood patients moving away and not informing their doctor so their notes can be forwarded on, or when someone in the family dies they dont tell their doctor.
I do think its a good idea and will save money for the nhs.

My paper said it was because people have moved away and not been taken off the lists.

Everyone aged from 40-74 who hasn't visited their GP is invited for a MOT every 5 years. Along with smear tests etc. there shouldn't be many in this age group who would slip through the net.

I had lived for 8 years in my first house, bought after the owner had died. There was a knock on the door and a lady stood there
who asked could she speak to Mrs B. I replied that she had died. She appeared surprised and started to express her condolences thinking I was a relative. It turned out she was a patient of theirs,so theyhad been claiming fora dead patient for at least 8 years. So yes this scheme makes sense.

As long as safeguards are built in, it seems eminently sensible to me. I'm surprised that those of us on state pension aren't asked to prove we're alive occasionally - especially since Power of Attorney is more common than it used to be.

How is it possible to be "healthy" and a "patient"?

But there will be people who either don't understand or don't receive the letters and who will be removed. This is an instant of a private company identifying a need (which is questionable) and then offering to deal with it. It is unlikely that the amount saved will be as much as Capita will charge for doing it.