YOU SAY: Make that GP fee £10

Who cares about stars’ race?

LAST week, I suggested charging every patient 50p to see a GP – a token fee to tackle the problem of patients who don’t turn up to appointments.

I was invited on to Good Morning Britain to debate the issue, and I’ve been inundated with emails from readers. The vast majority agree with me. In fact, many don’t think I went far enough. They suggested a much larger charge of £5 or £10 should be applied to those who miss an appointment without cancelling. Others thought a ‘two or three strikes and you’re out’ policy should be enforced, chucking serial DNAs (the GPs’ acronym for Did Not Attend) off the practice list.

I heard from people from across Europe, where such schemes already exist and seem to work well.

We all believe the NHS should be free at the point of delivery… MOST of the time. But not always.

I completely agree with Dr Ellie Cannon’s idea of charging patients for GP appointments.

But I think the charge should come into effect only after someone has missed one first. Ellie also suggests a 50p fee, but I think £25 would be more acceptable under such a system. This would certainly bring missed appointments down straight away.

It’s mainly lazy people who miss their slots. Patients get reminders so there is no excuse.

June Kartrieber,

North Cheam, Surrey

I can understand the concern Ellie Cannon has about the number of no-shows for GPs’ appointments, as she explained in her article last week. I can also see how a deposit would possibly help prevent the apparent waste of valuable time that could be allocated to other patients.

However, what I cannot understand is why this proposal is not extended to cover hospital appointments too.

Would Dr Cannon then accept the right of her professional colleagues in hospitals to refuse to implement this charge in much the same way that they have refused to implement the Government and NHS policy to charge non-eligible people for non-life-threatening services?

If those charges were made, and pursued, there would be more money available for the NHS,

Regarding your recent articles on the lack of ethnic minority presenters on ITV, surely it should all be about their talent, not the colour of their skin?

As a viewer, I like to see a presenter who does the job in a professional manner. The tone of your articles suggests that there should be positive discrimination, but wouldn’t this and perhaps fewer health tourists would seek to use and abuse the NHS, thus leaving more beds available for taxpayers.

B. McErlain,

Birstall, West Yorkshire

My husband has long said that a charge of £1 to visit the doctor is a good idea to help the NHS. However, there are hospital doctors who refuse point-blank to charge health tourists for complicated operations.

Perhaps these patients should be made to pay up first, as if they were private patients.

P. Stoneman,

Blyth, Northumberland

Dr Cannon’s suggestion is a classic example of what is wrong with the NHS. The exercise of charging each patient and collecting the money would cost countless drive a wedge between the black and white communities?

Worcester Park, Surrey

The lack of ethnic-minority stars on ITV is surely balanced by the number who appear on various adverts. A cast of characters worthy of the UN is involved.

R. Bake, Ossett, West Yorkshire times more than the income of 50p per visit.

P. Bennison, Whitley Bay

At my surgery it is very difficult to get through to the staff, with the phone constantly engaged. So people might be trying to call to give their apologies about missing an appointment, but are unable to do so.

Tim Mickleburgh, Grimsby

Ellie Cannon has obviously never had to cancel a GP appointment. My 85-year-old mother phoned to cancel hers and was 38th in the queue. She caught the bus to the surgery instead to find herself tenth in the queue, with a single receptionist on duty. She gave up and returned home.

Jan Parkinson,

Solihull, West Midlands