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[CLKD]

North West Anglia NHS trust has lost almost £2 million this year due to thousands of patients not turning up to appointments, figures show. Data from NHS England shows that, between January and June, 16,618 people either did not show up for an outpatient appointment at the trust - which is reponsible for Peterborough City Hospital, Stamford and Rutland Hospital and Hinchingbrooke Hospital - or arrived too late to be seen.

Read more at: https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/our-region/cambridgeshire/missed-appointments-cost-peterborough-s-hospital-trust-almost-2-million-1-8642795

[Pennyfarthing]

North West Anglia NHS trust has lost almost £2 million this year due to thousands of patients not turning up to appointments, figures show. Data from NHS England shows that, between January and June, 16,618 people either did not show up for an outpatient appointment at the trust - which is reponsible for Peterborough City Hospital, Stamford and Rutland Hospital and Hinchingbrooke Hospital - or arrived too late to be seen.

Read more at: https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/our-region/cambridgeshire/missed-appointments-cost-peterborough-s-hospital-trust-almost-2-million-1-8642795

Its all very well them putting out stats like that but what about the times the hospitals mess up appointments or send patients three letters for one appointment?  i have spoken to several people who have turned up for hospital outpatients appts to be told there is a mix up and its been cancelled. My husband being one of them.  I also received three separate letters (all in first class envelopes) telling me of one appointment! 

This was an interesting programme

 https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2017-01-12/who-shall-we-save-today-bbc2s-hospital-reveals-an-nhs-in-crisis/

[CLKD]

Yep.  I could save the NHS £Ks  .  Dental surgeries charge for non attendance so the NHS should do so. 

We get text reminders these days, which rather spoils the day 

[NorthArm]

I just wanted to let you all know, that Australia and the UK have a reciprocal health agreement. Basically this means, if you are on holiday and you take ill or have an accident, all your treatment in a public hospital is covered as if you are a citizen. Even if it's for months. So a small clue - do take out travel insurance, as it will cover you to go back home, with nursing care on the flight if it's required. But, if you're here, and you require the doctor, go to an emergency room at the hospital, and it won't cost you a penny xx

We have a stupid ‘two tier system' here - private and public.

If you go to a doctor's surgery, because you won't have a Medicare card (there may be a temporary one you can get before you travel) you may have to pay part or all of your appointment (which you can later claim against your trave insurance), the same goes for medications. I wouldn't even touch the private hospital system as a holiday maker - they don't do emergencies, and in my opinion, for the money you might get nicer carpet on the floor lol - the medical treatment here is invariably superior in our public system - they are ‘training' hospitals, and the health department much prefers to employ the ‘creme de la creme' of doctors and specialists to train the next generation, rather than someone who just ‘scraped through' at University.

And on another note, whilst I was living and working in the UK many years ago, I saw the gp a couple of times, needed scripts occasionally, had two surgeries, and saw the dentist twice. I was paying my NHS contribution, and tax too, so I was ok with it. And your health system is superb!! I always rave about it when I speak to people here - so many years (decades?) ahead of us here, I doubt we'll ever catch up.

So I guess I wasn't really a health ‘tourist' as such, being a temporary citizen, such a thing would never cross my mind. But I'm eternally grateful for the excellent care I received whilst there xx

[Pennyfarthing]

I just wanted to let you all know, that Australia and the UK have a reciprocal health agreement. Basically this means, if you are on holiday and you take ill or have an accident, all your treatment in a public hospital is covered as if you are a citizen. Even if it's for months. So a small clue - do take out travel insurance, as it will cover you to go back home, with nursing care on the flight if it's required. But, if you're here, and you require the doctor, go to an emergency room at the hospital, and it won't cost you a penny xx

We have a stupid ‘two tier system' here - private and public.

If you go to a doctor's surgery, because you won't have a Medicare card (there may be a temporary one you can get before you travel) you may have to pay part or all of your appointment (which you can later claim against your trave insurance), the same goes for medications. I wouldn't even touch the private hospital system as a holiday maker - they don't do emergencies, and in my opinion, for the money you might get nicer carpet on the floor lol - the medical treatment here is invariably superior in our public system - they are ‘training' hospitals, and the health department much prefers to employ the ‘creme de la creme' of doctors and specialists to train the next generation, rather than someone who just ‘scraped through' at University.

And on another note, whilst I was living and working in the UK many years ago, I saw the gp a couple of times, needed scripts occasionally, had two surgeries, and saw the dentist twice. I was paying my NHS contribution, and tax too, so I was ok with it. And your health system is superb!! I always rave about it when I speak to people here - so many years (decades?) ahead of us here, I doubt we'll ever catch up.

So I guess I wasn't really a health ‘tourist' as such, being a temporary citizen, such a thing would never cross my mind. But I'm eternally grateful for the excellent care I received whilst there xx

Hate to be pedantic but the reciprocal agreement is not quite that straightforward.

Visitors are entitled to  LIMITED subsidised health services for medically necessary treatment while visiting Australia. It does NOT cover pre existing conditions or treatment that does not require prompt attention.   

We get people coming here KNOWING  that they have very serious conditions, they get themselves to hospital and expect us to pick up the tab. Then they disappear back to their own countries without paying a penny. 

I had a relative who lived in the US all her adult life but came back here on the pretext of visiting her parents but she always managed to get either an operation or extensive dental treatment while she was here and that is very common. 

[Shadyglade]

How common PF.

[Pennyfarthing]

How common PF.

Common as in it happens frequently. 

Another NHS fiddle is people who sell up, go and live in, say, France or Spain but don't tell their GP here.  They then get all their repeat prescriptions picked up here by a relative or by themselves when they visit. 

Mind you on the news this morning it was announced that the NHS are losing £250 million a year on people claiming free prescriptions to which they are not entitled.  They have said this WILL stop as they are setting up a database which in my opinion they should have done years ago. 

[Shadyglade]

The terms 'common' and 'frequently' are both a bit vague. 

My previous post on the 19th of Sept has a quote that the NHS says that 'Health Tourism' is a small problem.  I stick by my own research.

[CLKD]

But Pharmacists didn't want that system PF when it was muted several years ago.

[Pennyfarthing]

But Pharmacists didn't want that system PF when it was muted several years ago.

I don't think they are going to have a choice now CLKD. 

In most countries there is some form of card they have to show to prove they are entitled to free or reduced prescriptions or treatment. if other countries  can do it why can't we?  its either do that or lose £250  million a year.  We have been too soft for too long.

[Pennyfarthing]

The terms 'common' and 'frequently' are both a bit vague. 

My previous post on the 19th of Sept has a quote that the NHS says that 'Health Tourism' is a small problem.  I stick by my own research.

Stick by your own research, that's fine but people like this guy are really in a position to see what's going on far better than you or I actually.

https://www.spectator.co.uk/2017/01/if-the-nhs-needs-more-money-why-not-collect-from-health-tourists/

It is a huge problem which is why many hospitals are now appointing staff to make sure that bills do get paid.  I see nothing wrong with that whatsoever.  I can't think of anything in life I get for free and I have lived here all my life and paid by taxes, NI etc.

[CLKD]

That is often the excuse that people who live abroad give PF - they worked hard, paid taxes so are entitled to health care after retirement.  Also, living in a warm climate is supposedly better for over-all health.  One couple I know during my working years lived here in the Summer and in Malta from October-Feb..  They popped back for C.mas .........

[Pennyfarthing]

Its fraud however you look at it.  Maybe some of the £250 million that people are defrauding the NHS of could be spent on our elderly who need nursing care and are having to sell their homes to pay for it when they've paid tax and NI all their lives anyway.

[CLKD]

The people who have paid into the system whilst working often return. 

[Shadyglade]

NHS

One in three error rate on penalty notices for prescription charge fraud
The Pharmaceutical Journal16 MAR 2018By Emma Wilkinson

A freedom of information request from The Guardian has shown that one in three patients who were issued penalty notices in 2017 were wrongly accused of prescription fraud.

Hundreds of thousands of patients have been wrongly accused of fraudulently claiming free subscriptions, reports suggest.

A freedom of information request from The Guardian revealed that 340,000 people were wrongly accused of prescription fraud in 2017.

https://www.pharmaceutical-journal.com/news-and-analysis/news/one-in-three-error-rate-on-penalty-notices-for-prescription-charge-fraud/202

I think this put a different complexion on it.   As for the retired doctor in your link PF, I would take him with a pinch of salt.  A known very right-winger (often quoted by UKIP ) , who has been pulled up before by Mark Porter, chairman of the BMA, for using inaccurate and misleading data.   

Personally I think the solution is to remove prescription charges completely.  That would also get rid of a complex and costly and bureaucratic system.