When is GP catchment areas getting scrapped?

[Stillborn Crisps]

It got announced last year that the NHS was getting rid of catchment areas for GPs, so you can effectively go to any Doctor of your choice.

 

I was in a clinic the other week and overheard a staff member saying in hushed tones that it was 'soon' to a patient that was having a problem registering, but does anyone know a specific date?

 

Any moles working for the NHS here able to let on?

[nolegion]

I would much like to know the detail of this myself. Come on you moles.

[honeybee13]

Hello there. I'm not with the NHS, but having done a quick google search, all I've found is that Andy Burnham, who may not be around after tomorrow in the role said in September last year that GP catchment areas would be abolished within 12 months.

 

The BMA doesn't shed any more light on it.

 

Not sure if that helps or not. HB

[Stillborn Crisps]

Yeah, that's all I could find too, which is why I asked for inside info!

 

The conversation I overheard sounded like it was definitely going ahead, not 'wait and see what happens after the election'.

 

I should've just gone and asked the woman. :-/

[honeybee13]

Easy to know after the event, isn't it? I hope a helpful mole turns up.

 

HB

[68grace]

We have recently moved house, but we do not want to change GP. The receptionist says we have to move GP. She has given us til the end of September. We would be willing to sign a disclaimer, to the effect that we are not eligible for home visits. We have never had a home visit, our many out-of-hours contacts have involved us driving down to the out-of-hours centre, (which we're nearer to now)! If one of us did start needing district nurse input, then we would have to move GP, but that may never happen. We would really like to know of any developments with the proposals.

Can we just refuse to move, in the hope that the law will change soon?

[nolegion]

About a year ago:

 

( From news media various:- )

 

"GP catchment areas to be scrapped 'by next autumn'"

 

"… the shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley described fixed boundaries as a 'solid wall of defence against patient choice.'"

 

“Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley criticised the government for taking its time to abolish the boundaries.”

…

 

"We've always argued that it was ludicrous for the government to talk about giving people a choice of GP when they restricted that choice based on their postcode," he said.

 

“That is why we announced plans to abolish practice boundaries two years ago."

…

Now:

 

As far as I can discern to date Health Minister Lansley is in full-scale retreat on this issue largely because of continuing opposition from the GP union within the BMA (masked with smiling blandishments). The practice boundaries remain and the power of GPs to ‘ban’ you if you try stay with the practice, after they have told you to go for being outside them, remains.

 

Prediction: in a few months time there will be a ‘quiet’ announcement of a wonderful negotiated ‘compromise’ meaning no change at all apart from a few cosmetic, face-saving ‘tweaks’: i.e the daylight reality will be that very few patients will effectively have any greater choice of a GP practice than they do now, if at all, and the chance to tell your rude\incompetent GP where to get off, or your less rude\apparently competent one that you will stay with him\her, will slip away into the night.

 

The last thing GPs collectively want to do is allow patients to vote with their feet. And once in power politicians so soon ‘overlook’ what they said in getting there.

 

I realise that this commentary is the the square root of squat all practical use to you, sadly, 68grace. I wish it were otherwise. Now your practice knows, they will almost certainly formally ‘ban’ you in due course if you do not change practice. You will get a couple of letters, including a list of other practices available to you to 're-enlist,' and that will be that. If you have the time and will to protest, I wish you all the best, and I hope you would come back and tell caggers how you get on. But your health comes first.

 

I am a patient of a GP practice within whose ‘boundaries’ I no longer reside. Legal brilliance? Naa…they just haven’t found out for the past year or so, and it’s highly unlikely they will ever be bothered to. The indifference and impersonality of millionaire GP practice cuts both ways.

[miss teapot]

Hi,

I work for the NHS and have recently had a patient who stated that it was her right to attend which ever practice she chose. After confirming with the practice manager...I afraid to say that she was wrong. The plan to scrap boundaries for surgeries seems to have a died a death (from a rural surgery point of view that is a good thing..). It is still all about distance from the nearest surgery.

And (sorry to bang the NHS drum here...but...) if you move you need to let your GP surgery know, if they need to see you and issue you a prescription and the details on it (address) are incorrect it is classed as fraud.

Hope that helps (and more over that your dont hate me now!!!)

teapot

[nolegion]

miss teapot, I’m afraid to say I think you are right. It does indeed look as if, as you say, “the plan to scrap practice boundaries has died a death.” And LOL! in my experience here, so far at least, nobody will hate you for expressing an honest view. You work for the NHS. Great. You are an asset, a MOLE!

 

But as regards those boundaries….the ‘plan’ died that death, despite gonvernmental express intentions to change the situation, patently and directly on account of the emphatic resistance of doctors to allowing patients that element of choice.

 

What comfort can be offered to patients literally dying a death in the hands of a practice they may, and by golly they may, have good reason greatly to dislike and distrust, but to which, in some cases, they may have precious little real and practical alternative ‘within boundaries?

[nickk]

So gutted about this. I still have to rent a proxy address in my old area. Costs £200/year!

[hiphil]

On 17 September 2009 then Health Secretary Andy Burnham, announced plans to scrap GP catchment areas in England within a year.

 

Shadow Health Secretary at that time, Andrew Lansley, said that the Conservatives were also in favour of doing away with GP catchment areas.

 

However, since winning the election in 2010, the coalition government seems to have shelved this plan.

 

This means, the so called "NHS Choices" are really no choice at all.

 

If you would like to urge the government to reconsider the issue, please sign the petition below:

 

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/38619

[Stillborn Crisps]

Just to update on this matter, there was a pilot scheme set up to run last year (2012) in parts of London, Manchester and Nottingham.

 

http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/government-announces-areas-for-2m-pilot-abolishing-gp-practice-boundaries/13247288.article

 

However, it got delayed. But there's still some movement on the issue:

 

http://www.gponline.com/News/article/1102052/Practice-boundaries-widened-commuters-register-near-work-2012-13-GMS-contract/

 

Also, this article seems to indicate that from April 2012 patients have been entitled to keep their GP if they move 'just out of area', albeit with a few conditions

 

http://www.wessexlmcs.com/boundary_less_practice_PCT_guidance

 

I'm not sure what 'just' is considered as.

Edited March 12, 2013 by Stillborn Crisps

[Jimbob1987]

I think that if you are recieving treatment from your gp, for depression or other long term issues you can request to stay at the practice for continuity and safe working. I done it for 3 years no problem.