Should GP's be replaced

Should GP's be replaced

Author
Discussion

chim

Original Poster:

7,259 posts

184 months

Thursday 2nd September 2010
quotequote all
Thought about this today. Not got a clue why, just nothing much on at the moment.

My thinking is that GP's are way over paid for what they actually do. When you think about it there is very little a GP does that Google and and a half decent nurse could not manage. I may be wrong here but from what I can see the function of the GP is to diagnose ailments and then pass you on to the Hospital to have them confirmed and treated. In terms of actually administering medical aid they don't really do anything, hell they don't even so much as take blood or give you an injection as its the Nurse that carries this out.

When you think about it, you walk in, list your symptoms, they take your blood pressure etc and diagnose what they think may be wrong. They then either write you a prescription for some antibiotic or something, or if the symptoms suggest something more serious they pack you off to a specialist that actually knows what he is talking about.

Now it strikes me that a nurse with a computer could do very much the same job. In fact just try it now, there are a load of web based symptom sorters out there that will do this for you.

So, it seems to me that we are spending fortunes to send these guys to medical school for many many years then paying them a small fortune to do what is in fact, a fairly basic job.

Thoughts, and since its not really a medical issue can we just leave it here please Mods.

paprika

5,484 posts

174 months

Thursday 2nd September 2010
quotequote all

rofl

9/10 tbh.

Funniest thread I have read in a while biggrin

DangerousMike

11,327 posts

199 months

Thursday 2nd September 2010
quotequote all
so many conditions have overlapping symptoms that a human is much better at noticing the tiny, little clues that indicate something is not just another cold.. if they're doing their job properly, that is.

DrTre

12,955 posts

239 months

Thursday 2nd September 2010
quotequote all
why can't ears be syringed any more?

DangerousMike

11,327 posts

199 months

Thursday 2nd September 2010
quotequote all
so many conditions have overlapping symptoms that a human is much better at noticing the tiny, little clues that indicate something is not just another cold.. if they're doing their job properly, that is.

Justayellowbadge

37,057 posts

249 months

Thursday 2nd September 2010
quotequote all
Oh good, another thinly disguised Porsche hating thread.

pugwash4x4

7,558 posts

228 months

Thursday 2nd September 2010
quotequote all
chim said:
Thought about this today. Not got a clue why, just nothing much on at the moment. .
you might like to change this- you're brain is getting a little overwrought.

Nt saying GPs aren't well paid, but they earn their money by knowing the stuff that will
a) make you better
and
b) not kill you in the process.

you do haev to have a modicum of intelligencve to do the job!

chim

Original Poster:

7,259 posts

184 months

Thursday 2nd September 2010
quotequote all
anonymous said:
[redacted]
See, bit of lateral thinking, thats what we need to save money in the NHS. Daleks have already got big syringe thingies sticking out of them. The stair problem is fine as well as they can fly now. smile

Cock Womble 7

29,908 posts

237 months

Thursday 2nd September 2010
quotequote all
Get rid of GPs? So who's going to write "NFN"?

DrTre

12,955 posts

239 months

Thursday 2nd September 2010
quotequote all
anonymous said:
[redacted]
They can? bds wouldn't for me.

OK, I've got a small protrusion from my groin, doesn't hurt, occasionally becomes inflamed...anyone?

GreigM

6,739 posts

256 months

Thursday 2nd September 2010
quotequote all
GPs shouldnt be replaced, but they SHOULD be brought back to good old fashioned being a doctor - not a budgeter/accountant/practise owner/manager etc etc etc.....too much paperwork and budgets and staff worries taking up their time. They need to get the patient in their door, diagnose the issue, prescribe the best medication for that patient (regardless of them having budget/allocation for it) or refer to the specialist when necessary. Forget all the other crap - get the patient well. For the amount of middle management we pay for in the NHS that function should be performed by the burgeoning ranks of non-medically skilled we seem to pay for with very little in tangible return.

chim

Original Poster:

7,259 posts

184 months

Thursday 2nd September 2010
quotequote all
Justayellowbadge said:
Oh good, another thinly disguised Porsche hating thread.
rofl I actually got that one.

308mate

13,757 posts

229 months

Thursday 2nd September 2010
quotequote all
anonymous said:
[redacted]

chim

Original Poster:

7,259 posts

184 months

Thursday 2nd September 2010
quotequote all
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Eric smile

rich1231

17,331 posts

267 months

Thursday 2nd September 2010
quotequote all
inkiboo said:
chim said:
When you think about it there is very little a GP does that Google and and a half decent nurse
could not manage.
I assume you have medical training/knowledge to make that call? No?

chim said:
I may be wrong here
Yes, yes you are. The worst thing the NHS did was listen far too much to patients. Patients have no idea, which is why they are not doctors. Now we have a generation of people who think with the power of Google they can question everything.

The result? Retards who don't vaccinate their children and others who use homeopathy to treat cancer.
I don't really think the OP has thought about it much at all, or has the capacity.

petrolveins

1,780 posts

180 months

Thursday 2nd September 2010
quotequote all
OP I'm not sure you actually appreciate the roles of GPs today, they do far more than you think, and are also paid less than you might think. They also have to sort out a heck of a lotta crap out.

chim

Original Poster:

7,259 posts

184 months

Thursday 2nd September 2010
quotequote all
rich1231 said:
inkiboo said:
chim said:
When you think about it there is very little a GP does that Google and and a half decent nurse
could not manage.
I assume you have medical training/knowledge to make that call? No?

chim said:
I may be wrong here
Yes, yes you are. The worst thing the NHS did was listen far too much to patients. Patients have no idea, which is why they are not doctors. Now we have a generation of people who think with the power of Google they can question everything.

The result? Retards who don't vaccinate their children and others who use homeopathy to treat cancer.
I don't really think the OP has thought about it much at all, or has the capacity.
No need to be rude, and I did think about it, well, not for long I grant you, but I did think about it.

paprika

5,484 posts

174 months

Thursday 2nd September 2010
quotequote all
inkiboo said:
chim said:
When you think about it there is very little a GP does that Google and and a half decent nurse
could not manage.
I assume you have medical training/knowledge to make that call? No?

chim said:
I may be wrong here
Yes, yes you are. The worst thing the NHS did was listen far too much to patients. Patients have no idea, which is why they are not doctors. Now we have a generation of people who think with the power of Google they can question everything.

The result? Retards who don't vaccinate their children and others who use homeopathy to treat cancer.
Indeed, to be a good doctor you must learn that all patients are scared morons without a clue in the world and do not actually know what is best for them.

chim

Original Poster:

7,259 posts

184 months

Thursday 2nd September 2010
quotequote all
petrolveins said:
OP I'm not sure you actually appreciate the roles of GPs today, they do far more than you think, and are also paid less than you might think. They also have to sort out a heck of a lotta crap out.
I may not, I have a very good friend that is a GP though and he is thick as plank (side issue, to much medical crap in head in opinion)) and he is the first to admit it. He is on call a lot and takes home in excess of 100k a year. Now given the amount of years they have to set by in med school and training to reach that level I can understand that, my point though is could that front line diagnoses not be done at slightly lower level, thus freeing up these guys to do more serious doctoring at the sharp end.

Edited by chim on Thursday 2nd September 16:56

paprika

5,484 posts

174 months

Thursday 2nd September 2010
quotequote all
chim said:
petrolveins said:
OP I'm not sure you actually appreciate the roles of GPs today, they do far more than you think, and are also paid less than you might think. They also have to sort out a heck of a lotta crap out.
I may not, I have a very good friend that is a GP though and he is thick as plank (side issue, to much medical crap in head in opinion)) and he is the first to admit it. He is on call a lot and takes home in excess of 100k a year. Now given the amount of years they have to set by in med school and training to reach that level I can understand that, my point though is could that front line diagnoses not be done at slightly lower level, thus freeing up these guys to do more serious doctoring at the sharp end.

Edited by chim on Thursday 2nd September 16:56
Please explain what you think "more serious doctoring" is ...