Why we should have to pay to see a GP

THE NHS is a precious institution. But one of the unintended consequences of having free healthcare for all at the point of delivery is that, over the years, we have begun to take less and less responsibility for our own health.

With the NHS as a safety net, the prevailing attitude among many people is that they can do whatever they want with and to their bodies, and none of it really matters because the dear old NHS will always be there to put humpty Dumpty back together again.

This attitude explains the sharp rise in so- called lifestyle diseases in the UK.

Certain types of cancer, obesity, diabetes, alcoholism, drug addiction, heart disease and dementia all cost the NHS billions each year. But the personal cost is far greater.

As the chief executive of the Care Quality Commission, David Behan, pointed out yesterday, we may all be living longer, but that does not necessarily mean that we are living better.

That is why, as well as investing properly in preventative medicine, the Government should have the courage to start charging us to see GPs.

Not only will it remind patients of the immense value of the service, it will also discourage unnecessary visits — and perhaps even encourage them to look after themselves better in the first place.