I hae ma doubts

I haven't read the details of Andrew Lansley's proposals to hand over shed-loads of dosh (or my money as I fondly think of it) to GPs to squander spend as they see fit, so I may well be proved wrong.  However, I have extreme doubts concerning the whole idea.  First of all, GPs have never struck me as particularly sensible people - some are, but some are as thick as a sack of spanners.  Even worse, they belong to one of the toughest and most intransigent of all trade unions - and don't let that professional bullshit about it being a 'medical association' fool you because they've regularly fooled different governments over and over again and always ended up even richer for doing even less work than before.  Their expertise, such as it is, is confined to medical practice, not running a multi-million pound business.  It is interesting to note that The Coffee House/Spectator contributors are split on the subject.  Fraser Nelson, a man I normally rely on to tell me what to think, is enthusiastic, where-as David Blackburn has his doubts.

If Lansley (why do I instinctively dislike the man?) is really concerned to get a grip of the Nationalised Health Service, let him just give us all vouchers and the freedom to choose which doctors and which hospitals we attend.  Suddenly you would find your GP receptionist fawning like the manager of a swank hotel instead of the rough imitation of Rosa Klebb that you so often meet today.  Also, your doctor might actually manage to see you within 5 minutes or so of your appointment instead of somewhere around half an hour later - on a good day!  Of course, it would mean taking a sharp pair of scissors to the inordinately long list of treatments available 'for nothing'(!!) under the NHS, such as fertility, cosmetic, physiotherapy and homeopathic treatments to name but four from the top of my head.

As the late Norman Macrae always said, don't throw money at it, throw competition, but for that you absolutely must have consumers with vouchers to spend!

Comments

[dearieme]

"why do I instinctively dislike the man?": me too, and I've actually met him.

[David Duff]

I hope you washed your hands after shaking his,'DM'!

[dearieme]

We sloped away before there was much risk of that.