Tim Almond

I’ve had a recurring problem with my ears for over 6 months now. Each visit to my GP to resolve it, or phone calls to specialists is not viewed in any way like any other business would. Most businesses have procedures, that when a car, or a TV goes wrong and cannot be easily resolved, that escalation occurs.

The attitude of the medical profession is that what I have is akin to a common cold each time, not a problem that they have so far failed to fix and should be going up the lines of expertise.

My GP didn’t want to refer me to an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist, but fortunately, I got a locum to see me at a certain time, and they referred me.

I’ve recently contacted the ENT by email, and got no reply. So I email again. So, a few days later I call. “Oh yes, we got the emails, but he’s away”. Cheers. Thanks a bloody bunch. After pointing out that maybe they could have sent a response telling me that, I got some sort of vague noise, not resembling “yes, that would have made sense” or “I apologise for that”.

Of every appointment I have, I think one has been at the time given. But the NHS thinks it would be a good idea for me to pay if I miss my appointments. Physician, heal thyself.

The real problems are not with the individual doctors, but that it is a dysfunctional market. Firstly, there is the NHS monopoly which means that I have no choice. Secondly, the barriers to entry are too high. The time to study to become a GP (someone who will refer anything beyond simple ailments to a specialist) means that people cannot enter the market to meet demand, so 2nd rate people who have met the arbitary market criteria will have patients. Reduce the legal requirements and let the market take care of it.

Tags: Health //