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GPs press for private charging rights

NewsAn influential group of GPs is to press for the right to charge NHS patients for additional services.

The British Medical Association is under pressure to back the proposals which have been tabled for the conference of local medical committees in Edinburgh later this month.

GP leaders say it is an anomaly that patients cannot get a range of private procedures from their own doctor – but can do so from other NHS GPs.

Nine local medical committees have tabled motions backing the proposal, calling it a “restraint of trade.”

One of the motions, from Dorset, states the move is essential for the survival of GPs as independent contractors.

North Yorkshire local medical committee points out that the growing size of practices makes the move essential.

Northumberland describes the ban as “out-dated and perverse” while Somerset calls it “hopelessly out of date.”

The move is to be proposed by the City and Hackney local medical committee.

Its vice-chairman Dr Ben Molyneux told The Times today it was about “allowing patients to get the non-NHS services they want to receive from the GP they know, at a surgery near to their home.”

He said: “This adds to the pressure on short-handed GP surgeries as one patient ends up requiring multiple appointments and a new set of medical notes taking for a vaccine which is usually medically advisable.”

Dr Richard Vautrey, from the BMA GP committee, spoke about the benefits of the proposal.

He told the Press Association: “This motion recognises there have always been aspects of care, such as certain minor surgical procedures, which are not provided by the NHS and that patients who request them are currently forced to access private services, often at considerable expense.

“Many patients want their trusted GP to deliver this activity but they are prohibited from doing so, despite often having the necessary skills.

“The intention behind this proposal is to enable GPs to respond to the requests of their patients, and reduce the barriers and inconvenience patients currently face.

“It could also help generate additional resources for a practice to support their NHS work at a time when many are struggling because of a combination of unsustainable pressures, including rising patient demand, contracting budgets and staff shortages.”

* The conference will also hear calls to resist the growing deployment of GPs in emergency departments.

The conference is likely to condemn attempts to blame GPs for pressure on emergency departments.

But it could go further by rejecting projects which redirect urgent patients to general practice – or seek to use GPs in A&E departments.

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