Should patients pay to see the GP?

Yes—David Jones

Various calls have been made in recent years to charge patients for general practice consultations in the United Kingdom.1 2 In 2014 motions in favour of copayments were defeated at meetings of the BMA’s local medical committees3 and the Royal College of Nursing.4 In Australia, however, patients pay the doctor at the end of general practice consultations. No one sees this as unethical—it is the norm. The amount depends on the duration and complexity of the consultation and on the clinician but is typically about £10 (€14; $15) for a standard consultation, with the remainder of the costs paid by the government.5

The NHS prides itself on free healthcare at the point of service, but with ever increasing demands, and its inflation adjusted annual budget rising over sevenfold from £15bn to £115bn in its 67 year history,6 we need fundamental change to ensure its prosperity and longevity.