On @gmb today I debated the idea of an A&E fee for clearly non urgent attendances.
My stance is simple.
Triage first. Charge after.
No paywall at the door. Everyone assessed. And if you come to Accident and Emergency for something that is not an accident, and not an emergency, then yes, there’s a fee. With exemptions for vulnerable groups. And every penny ring fenced into faster urgent care alternatives.
People don’t come to A&E to break the system. They come because they’re scared and I’m certainly not looking at a fee for punishment or ridicule. More for protection for an overcrowded service.
Protection from harm to the patient on a trolley in a corridor waiting for a bed. Harm to the person in the waiting room whose chest pain is missed in the noise. Harm to the exhausted nurse doing the work of three people. Harm to the doctor who leaves a night shift feeling like they failed a waiting room full of frightened humans.
The harm has to stop.
I’ve cared for an A&E doctor who reached crisis point after a shift. She went home and tried to take her life due to the pressure of relentless demand. That”s stayed with me and changed how I think about “no harm in just popping to A&E.”
I see A&E as the safety net. It should catch heart attacks, strokes, sepsis, major trauma. When it becomes the default front door when other front doors exist,- pharmacies, GP surgeries, walk in centres - there’s a price to pay. Literally.
Do you think a post triage fee is a fair nudge?
Wishing you a happy, healthy new year- and one where you don’t need to go to A&E!
#gmb #itv #doctor #NHS #HappyHealthyNewYear
a month agoelevationsocietyy
Really interesting profile and the ideas around @vibe.expo seem surprisingly connected to your overall direction
9 months agowillowfosterino
This is a wildly ignorant stance to have on a much wider issue. People aren’t getting the help they need in the community from GP’s and other community health services because these are too overstretched. Health issues which could be managed in the community are then becoming a bigger issue which lead people to seek medical attention in a&e because there are no other options. Alot of people who need these health services are already struggling financially due to cost of living. People who have the money are seeking private health services. Charging people in this context is dangerous. Do some research or actually go out and speak to the public.
9 months agobydillz
No, everyone is already turning up to pharmacy and this is going to make it even worse. You cannot chuck other healthcare professionals under the bus. This was not thought through at all.
9 months agoroshni_vekariya
We need proper pathway where we can direct patient flow. Also it is so difficult to get appointments from GP. In my opinion people are not aware of pre existing ways to get help with some health conditions.
10 months agojonesy_3600
Basically you need a Dr with a set of bollocks to say fuck off its not an emergency and to go away and see your own GP
10 months agojonesy_3600
They need on every entrance to the ED department is a Dr with a set of balls sat by the door quickly see people coming in and telling them just what's wrong and for the Dr to then either say yes take a swat to be properly triaged and them that don't need to be there to go home and see their own GP
10 months agoliamsimonxx
If a person is sent away then gets sicker or heaven forbid worse then the doctors, nurses and hospital get the blame and potentially struck off. We need better health education instead of doctor Google and better protections for staff if they send patients away as they don’t need emergency care at that point in time.
10 months agojh_golfs
If you don’t work in the NHS you don’t qualify to have an opinion on this topic.
10 months agoscentient___
No no no. Doctor here. This is absurd and dangerous and may keep very sick people away from A&E. Let’s stop blaming the patients for this crisis and aim our indignation back at the government.
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