Have you visited your GP in the last 5 years?
Patients could be struck off GP surgery lists after five years of no contact.
Patients face being removed from GP surgery lists if they do not contact their doctor for five years as part of an NHS drive to save money.
A patient who has been out of touch for that long will receive two letters, and if they do not respond, they will be taken off their GP’s list.
NHS England bid to save money on ‘ghost patients’ is criticised by GP leaders saying key groups could lose access to a doctor.
NHS England says the scheme will ensure that it does not waste vital funds by paying GPs about £100 a year for looking after “ghost patients” – those who have died, moved away or no longer want their local surgery’s services. But GP leaders have asked for the initiative to be scrapped and warned that it will lead to patients being excluded for no good reason and deprive surgeries of money they need to keep running.
What are your views on this proposed initiative? Will this affect you or your family? Does this potentially penalise the fortunate healthy ones? When did you last visit your GP?
