Moving back after 18 years....would like advice
Sep 7th 2016, 7:22 am
#16
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 71
Re: Moving back after 18 years....would like advice
I'm afraid you are not correct ....yes it is funded from general taxation but i National Insurance contributions are paid into the various National Insurance Funds after deduction of monies specifically allocated to the National Health Services (NHS). However a small percentage is transferred from the funds to the NHS from certain of the smaller sub-classes. Thus the four NHS organisations are partially funded from NI contributions but not from the NI Fund.[7] Less than half of benefit expenditure (42.1%)
The NHS is not funded from National Insurance, but from general taxation, and always has been.
But Pulaski is not completely correct about the lack of choice within the NHS. It is true that for most specialist treatment, you must get a referral from your GP, but in some areas of the country they have a scheme of self-referral to e.g. physiotherapists. Also, if you have a preference for a specialist or clinic, your GP may be able to make the referral you want.
For example, my husband wanted to go to a particular clinic for treatment of his Hep C, because he knew there was a research active consultant there, and he thought it would increase his chances of getting on a drugs trial. Our GP complied, and my husband did get on a drugs trial and is now cured. More recently, I asked our GP to transfer my mother's ENT treatment from one hospital to another and our GP complied.
But Pulaski is not completely correct about the lack of choice within the NHS. It is true that for most specialist treatment, you must get a referral from your GP, but in some areas of the country they have a scheme of self-referral to e.g. physiotherapists. Also, if you have a preference for a specialist or clinic, your GP may be able to make the referral you want.
For example, my husband wanted to go to a particular clinic for treatment of his Hep C, because he knew there was a research active consultant there, and he thought it would increase his chances of getting on a drugs trial. Our GP complied, and my husband did get on a drugs trial and is now cured. More recently, I asked our GP to transfer my mother's ENT treatment from one hospital to another and our GP complied.
Sep 7th 2016, 11:06 am
#17
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,448
Re: Moving back after 18 years....would like advice
The NHS is not funded from National Insurance, but from general taxation, and always has been.
But Pulaski is not completely correct about the lack of choice within the NHS. It is true that for most specialist treatment, you must get a referral from your GP, but in some areas of the country they have a scheme of self-referral to e.g. physiotherapists. Also, if you have a preference for a specialist or clinic, your GP may be able to make the referral you want.
For example, my husband wanted to go to a particular clinic for treatment of his Hep C, because he knew there was a research active consultant there, and he thought it would increase his chances of getting on a drugs trial. Our GP complied, and my husband did get on a drugs trial and is now cured. More recently, I asked our GP to transfer my mother's ENT treatment from one hospital to another and our GP complied.
But Pulaski is not completely correct about the lack of choice within the NHS. It is true that for most specialist treatment, you must get a referral from your GP, but in some areas of the country they have a scheme of self-referral to e.g. physiotherapists. Also, if you have a preference for a specialist or clinic, your GP may be able to make the referral you want.
For example, my husband wanted to go to a particular clinic for treatment of his Hep C, because he knew there was a research active consultant there, and he thought it would increase his chances of getting on a drugs trial. Our GP complied, and my husband did get on a drugs trial and is now cured. More recently, I asked our GP to transfer my mother's ENT treatment from one hospital to another and our GP complied.
Sep 7th 2016, 11:23 am
#18
Concierge
Joined: May 2006
Location: ex ex-pat, in Taunton
Posts: 27,214
Re: Moving back after 18 years....would like advice
I accept there are a small number of opportunities to self-refer, but the examples you describe are consistent with my characterization of the GP as a "gatekeeper" - the GP does have discretion as to who to refer you to, and may take the patient's preferences into account, but it doesn't alter the fact that in most cases you won't be seeing any specialist without a referal from your GP.
