Matt wrote:
On Thu, 02 Mar 2006 18:54:42 +0000, Andy Hall
wrote:


OTOH, if people in NHS purchasing operations are unable to negotiate
good prices because they are useless at their jobs, then that is
another matter, and they should be fired.


At times you talk bloody claptrap!

On this occasion, he is correct. The purchasing function is wildly
inefficient. A repeat generic prescription for say six months is
frequently six pieces of paper. The cost of the drugs on the internet is
£10. for a 6 month supply. The NHS is paying in the region of at least
£180 to achieve this aim. That's inefficiency and somebody should be fired.

The drug companies certainly are charging what the market will bear,
but allowing drug companies to merge and suppress competition is a
political decision.
The NHS is wildly inefficient, bureaucratic and not doing a good job at
the administrative level. Unnecessary tests are prescribed, just to
allow the Dr to tick a box (APE exercise) and say that he/she has done
something. Real problems are ignored as this requires mental engagement,
which at the GP level is a very hit or miss affair. As my GP has said
"I'm only doing this to try to save the NHS money", ie to hell with the
patients interest.
Until the customers have the right to select their GP, with real
competition, as used to be the case under private medicine, and the NHS
has the capacity and ability to select between providers, the situation
will remain in it's present mess, where the hospitals are generally
doing a very good job when it's an emergency, but routine stuff is very
inefficiently controlled or organised.
When I go to a Dr in the US, if he wants a routine blood test, this is
taken within 20 minutes of the request. The results tend to be the next
day. In the UK, locally, 3 days seems to be the norm to arrange a local
test, with results available after 3-4 days.

There is now a 9-5 mentality in many areas, so the GP and local
practise has been allowed to opt out of the patient care position. I
just don't understand how I can achieve this lack of responsibility in
my working life.

I can go to a local US shopping centre and purchase a whole body scan
for about $450, which my insurer will pay most of the cost of. Here it's
n months wait for routine scans, hence they are rarely specified. Yes,
US hospitals routinely run unnecessary scans, just because the insurer
will pay, but at least the capacity is there.

Rant temporarily over.

Regards
Capitol