TV Participants Wanted: What Are Your Thoughts On GP Fees?

C

cocotv

Guest
Hi Martin here from Coco Television

We’re working on a new consumer show and we’d like to hear from people who have comments to make on GP charges

Do you feel your GP charges are good value for money?

Do you feel there is a clear pricing structure in place?

How do you feel about being charged for extras such as blood tests or repeat prescriptions?

We’re looking for people to be in the audience of the show who might like to make a comment and if you can’t make it we still want to hear your views

Please contact me on 01) 4970817 or email me your comment to martin@cocotelevision.ie
 
I have a recurring health condition, for the past 2-3 years i don't know how many times i have been into my GP. Recently I have been in there 3 times for this problem. I am a qualified cabinet maker and get around €13 an hour. My GP gets €50 for my 5 minute visit and 1 hour wait in the waiting room
 
It annoys me when a GP makes a diagnosis and the treatment does not work. Why should he charge the next time you visit to try some other treatment? He can keep you returning indefinitely. If he cannot treat the complaint he will eventually send you to a consultant but you have already paid him for a number of visits (for zero result) and may have to pay the consultant also.
 
Don't get me started. I have been put on a course of medication until december and if its still the same he's referring me to a specialist
 
Folks

Please remember the Posting Guideline. We don't discuss medical issues.

We do not discuss medical issues other than to provide links to support groups and medical forums. We do not allow recommendations for doctors, dentists or medical practitioners generally. We do not allow discussion of weight loss issues either as they always develop into either advertising or medical topics such as anorexia.


You may discuss tax relief on medical expenses and pricing of medical services or health insurance. It is ok to provide information on the availability of emergency doctors or 24 hour pharmacies. But you should not discuss effectiveness of treatment or quality of care.
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I dont feel that GPs are good value for money in a lot of cases.

OK if Im sick with something and I go and get medicine and it makes me better (or even if I go and its explained that I dont need medicine and it gets better).

But where I have an issue is if I have something that obviously needs me to see a consultant. I go to the GP and say 'Ive got this problem, I think I need to see a specialist' and the GP says 'yes, you do, here is a referral letter, 60 quid please'. The GP has done nothing here - just sent me elsewhere. I dont think referrals should cost the full price if nothing else is done in the visit.

Also on recurring prescriptions, I dont want to stray into discussing medical issues here but there are a number of types of prescription that really dont require a 60 quid visit - things like anti inflammatories/painkillers for long term (or recurring) orthopediac issues for example. The only way to get this medicine is to spend the 60 quid.

My GP also charges for repeat visits for the same problem - so if the 'cure' doesnt work the first time you could spend a number of 60 quid visits trying to find something that does work.
 
Hi everyone we're really interested in all of your comments could you please email me a contact number and I'll get back to you:

martin@cocotelevision.ie

Or alternatively call me on 01) 4970817

Thanks
 
truthseeker said:
Also on recurring prescriptions, I dont want to stray into discussing medical issues here but there are a number of types of prescription that really dont require a 60 quid visit - things like anti inflammatories/painkillers for long term (or recurring) orthopediac issues for example. The only way to get this medicine is to spend the 60 quid.

My GP also charges for repeat visits for the same problem - so if the 'cure' doesnt work the first time you could spend a number of 60 quid visits trying to find something that does work.
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€50 for a visit where I am, not sure about repeat visits with the same / related condition. Repeat prescriptions are €20.
 
During a summer holidays in France, i had to go to the local GP. Paid €20. She was mortified to charge me that "much" considering she knew i'll get nothing back. She was even willing to reduce that rate shall i have not been able to afford it. She was relieved and shocked when i explained that in Ireland, i would have had to pay €55 and get almost nothing back from private insurance/med1.

GPs are the one profession which rewards mistakes: why should i pay for second visit, though at reduced rate, if i have been misdiagnosed the first time?
 
€60 for my GP visits...the nurses used to always take your blood pressure and heart rate before you saw the doc, but you don't even get that now...i avoid the docs as much as I can these days and will offer suffer things out more than i used to.
 
Correct me if I am wrong but doesnt a GP have a duty of care to all patients? e.g if you go to your GP for a check up and he charges you say €60. Can you just say to him that you cannot afford it and agree to pay €40?
 
Hi guys, if you're leaving a comment and you dont want to contact us directly could you leave your first name and the county your from so we can read it out. Thanks
 
bacchus said:
During a summer holidays in France, i had to go to the local GP. Paid €20. She was mortified to charge me that "much" considering she knew i'll get nothing back. She was even willing to reduce that rate shall i have not been able to afford it. She was relieved and shocked when i explained that in Ireland, i would have had to pay €55 and get almost nothing back from private insurance/med1.

GPs are the one profession which rewards mistakes: why should i pay for second visit, though at reduced rate, if i have been misdiagnosed the first time?
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Bacchus, you should have use your European health card, you still have to pay the EUR 20.00 to the doctor in France but you get a partial refund via the CPAM in France for your doctor fees and medicine. I goes often in France with my kids to visit my family and sometimes if the kids are sick during our stay, it will usually cost me around EUR 10 - EUR 15 in total for the doctor fees and medicine compared to the EUR 55 - EUR 65 in Ireland.
 
On numerous occasions I have questioned my GP in Knocklyon about their charges. As I have 2 young kids there are times when we have to visit the GP. We get charged €60 per visit. On each occasion we see a different GP as there seems to be a few GPs & Locums working from the practice. I am originally from Tipprary and when I was living there I used always see the one doctor so he knew me personally and he knew my medical history etc. He still charges €45. I questioned the receptionist at my GP in Knocklyon about their prices and she said they have not increased them in 3 years. I argued that my salary has dropped over 20% in 3 years not to mention the current state of the economy, deflation etc. There is no competition amongst GP's in Dublin and across Ireland for that matter. If more people questioned GP's on their fees then their fees might drop. And don't even get me started on GP's prescribing antibiotics for toddlers and babies. We met with one doctor who was from India and he was disgusted by how Irish doctors presrciber anti biotics for kids. My wife works for a large Pharma company and she has her own theories on this.

Patrick. Living in Knocklyon, Dublin 16 but orig. from Tipperary.
 
My doctor really irks me. She charges €50 for the consultation, and €20 for a repeat prescription. However this is not a separate charge. For example - I get a prescription for every six months. Even if this is the only thing I visit her for I am charged €70. Thats €70 for her to take my blood pressure and write a prescription. Also if I go to her with a separate problem (I went to her with one recently which was not solved but which I am now unable to afford to go back to her on), and ask for this prescription she will add on the €20 charge. I think this is excessive. If I go to see her for just this prescription I expect the €50 to cover this and not to face an extra charge as the visit is of a nature she deems to cost more.
I have decided not to go back to this doctor but at the moment have not found a recommended doctor still taking patients.
 
My guy never charges me - his receptionist does, €50 for a visit, €10 for repeat prescriptions and "whatever you have handy" for a repeat visit with an unresolved problem.
 
cocotv said:
Hi guys, if you're leaving a comment and you dont want to contact us directly could you leave your first name and the county your from so we can read it out. Thanks
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Most people prefer to remain anonymouse on AAM so might have a problem with this. If you like you can use Brendan (as in Howlin) but definitely not John and from Dublin.

Leading on from GP charges are the consultant's fees which seem to differ greatly. A relative had to visit 3 separate consultants recently and their fees ranged from €140 to €220 for similar consultations. They found it hard to understand why there was such a difference.
 
Consultants definitely should be brought in to this, they are worse than GPs with bigger charges.
I visited a consultant who sent me for a scan, I paid his fee and for the scan. He then made another appointment to visit him when he told me there was no problem. I was no more than 2 minutes with him, I did not even have time to sit down, he could have done this on the phone instead of me having to take time off work with loss of pay. I was then sent another bill for a consultation which I refused to pay.
People are afraid to challenge them because there is the underlying fear that there is something wrong with their health.
 
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