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I'm a great fan of Malcolm Kendrick and his blog, you can find it here, drmalcolmkendrick.org
Not only are his blogs informative and often amusingly written, but the comments can be worth a read too. This, written by "Jennifer" on 23 October, made me laugh and rang rather too true:
According to a BBC report yesterday, we learned that GPs ought to be paid £55 for each diagnosis of the BIG A. In a quick aside, it slipped in that GPs have been receiving cash incentives for diagnosing new cases of the LUCRATIVE 3 (B/P, diabetes, raised cholesterol) for the last 9 years.
so…does GP care go like this?
[Dear Mrs Cannybody,
you are requested to attend for screening tests....a...b....c..etc .yes, we know you feel fine, but....
If we do enough tests, it is likely we will find some tablets we can get you started on. Lets hope we find your blood sugars are slightly higher than the now accepted norm. Then we can give you tablets to counteract your shocking diet, then some others to reduce the B/P you presented with when given the alarming diagnosis. Oh, yes, and lets chuck in some statins, because now you are diabetic and have raised B/P all the dodgy research shows there is a case to rid your system of that horrible cholesterol stuff. Oh yes, and after a while we will look for signs that you are not coping with life.....and there is a £55 bonus waiting to be collected if your loved ones come and sprag on you about your absent-mindedness.
Keep cheerful, and regards from
Your GP. ( or should that read Surgery Manager/Accountant...well..some non-medical professional).]
I expect most of us have had one of these letters. Mine wanted me to fill in a form about how much house work I did - cheek of it! Needless to say the whole letter and form went straight in the bin.
sally
Not only are his blogs informative and often amusingly written, but the comments can be worth a read too. This, written by "Jennifer" on 23 October, made me laugh and rang rather too true:
According to a BBC report yesterday, we learned that GPs ought to be paid £55 for each diagnosis of the BIG A. In a quick aside, it slipped in that GPs have been receiving cash incentives for diagnosing new cases of the LUCRATIVE 3 (B/P, diabetes, raised cholesterol) for the last 9 years.
so…does GP care go like this?
[Dear Mrs Cannybody,
you are requested to attend for screening tests....a...b....c..etc .yes, we know you feel fine, but....
If we do enough tests, it is likely we will find some tablets we can get you started on. Lets hope we find your blood sugars are slightly higher than the now accepted norm. Then we can give you tablets to counteract your shocking diet, then some others to reduce the B/P you presented with when given the alarming diagnosis. Oh, yes, and lets chuck in some statins, because now you are diabetic and have raised B/P all the dodgy research shows there is a case to rid your system of that horrible cholesterol stuff. Oh yes, and after a while we will look for signs that you are not coping with life.....and there is a £55 bonus waiting to be collected if your loved ones come and sprag on you about your absent-mindedness.
Keep cheerful, and regards from
Your GP. ( or should that read Surgery Manager/Accountant...well..some non-medical professional).]
I expect most of us have had one of these letters. Mine wanted me to fill in a form about how much house work I did - cheek of it! Needless to say the whole letter and form went straight in the bin.
sally
