GPs to be paid £55 for diagnosing Dementia

[heeeed]

I think there is an important but subtle difference in being paid to diagnose and being paid to provide the care for someone with a diagnosis.

The difficulty becomes obvious with the press attached to this report that there is a potential conflict and it is just not acceptable if patients think we are diagnosing them to line our pockets. As I've mentioned previously in actual fact it isn't a figure that could in any way be considered lining our pockets, but if there is the perception otherwise it is too damaging to our relationship. I would anticipate at best that it would lead to a couple of hundred pounds to a practice our size, when split amongst the doctors, tax and pensions etc it becomes pocket change that I would rather not have if it potentially damages my relationship

 

[Dr House]

As others have said the money is not going to the GP but to the practice, dementia patients need a lot of extra help and support from the practice compared to other patients.

And to the person that said GP's are over paid, its really not true. To give you an idea around £60k to £75k is around the going rate. From that you have to pay your own insurance (my wife does) which is around £5k to £8k pa. GMC, Royal collage fees, run your own car, business car insurance and your own fuel to do 2 to 4 home visits per day.

I think my wife sees around 45 patients per day. That works out to around £8 per patient before costs and Tax.

When you consider its 6 years of medical school (about £100k now), 2 years of FY1 and FY2 and then 3 or 4 years of GP training to not make much more then a average professional.

Parents pay have gone down a lot also, they have lost a lot of funding. I know of a few practices where the partners are making around 35% less then 2 years ago.

 

[hawker1986]

As others have said the money is not going to the GP but to the practice, dementia patients need a lot of extra help and support from the practice compared to other patients.

And to the person that said GP's are over paid, its really not true. To give you an idea around £60k to £75k is around the going rate. From that you have to pay your own insurance (my wife does) which is around £5k to £8k pa. GMC, Royal collage fees, run your own car, business car insurance and your own fuel to do 2 to 4 home visits per day.

I think my wife sees around 45 patients per day. That works out to around £8 per patient before costs and Tax.

When you consider its 6 years of medical school (about £100k now), 2 years of FY1 and FY2 and then 3 or 4 years of GP training to not make much more then a average professional.

Parents pay have gone down a lot also, they have lost a lot of funding. I know of a few practices where the partners are making around 35% less then 2 years ago.

An informed opinion at last - well said

 

[holymonk]

Any first hand experience there?

What I've witnessed through a family friend and what has been explained to us by doctors and people at the home...

One article on the interwebs.



Learn to use google before spouting your insensitive ****, especially when you are clueless.

You miss the point. You said:

You either have to force feed them up until they die, or let them starve for however long it takes.

Its complete rubbish. Yes, please with dementia may develop problems with swallowing, but many do not. In the situation where a person does develop a problem swallowing, they should be assessed by a speech and language therapist, who in turn will develop a safe swallow plan for staff to follow. This usual involves thickening of the fluid, pureed diet and ensuring that the person is sat upright to prevent aspiration.

Sometimes people will require assistance to eat, they are never force fed. I have not met one person to this day with dementia unless they are receiving end of life care who is 'force fed'.

As for the starvation comment, it compounds how moronic your entire statement is.

 

[NMBlack]

This is the wrong thing being done for the right reasons. Yes, we need to wake up to the seriousness of the dementia problem, and yes we do need to have a better understand of the extent of the problem so that we can properly allocate resources (time, people, money). Paying bonuses to GPs and their practices for doing what they are contractually already being paid to do is not the answer. The money would be better spent on support for those with dementia and their carers.

 

[balky12]

Sometimes people will require assistance to eat, they are never force fed. I have not met one person to this day with dementia unless they are receiving end of life care who is 'force fed'.

As for the starvation comment, it compounds how moronic your entire statement is.

That's what I was talking about, the end, thus the reply I got referencing the treatment of humans against the treatment of animals...

So starvation/ dehydration isn't an issue with dementia sufferers?

Have you met one person with dementia?

Probably better if we agree to disagree. Well played with the personal attacks though.