GPs still free to refer
Independent Doctors Federation (IDF) annual general meeting
Private GPs’ concerns about ‘managed care’ – where GPs are bypassed in specialist referrals – are now better understood by private medical insurers, the IDF believes.
GP Committee chairman Dr Neil Haughton said the group had continued to engage with insurers, although the insurers had pointed out that many NHS GPs did not know which consultant to refer to, either privately or on the NHS, as links between primary and secondary care had been ‘sadly eroded’.
For the most part, private GPs could still refer to their preferred specialist.
Dr Haughton added: ‘Bupa has been especially responsive and acknowledge that GP-initiated investigation could actually save them money by avoiding unnecessary referral, and we shall be pursuing this in the year to come as well as other initiatives.’
Continuing difficulties faced by private GPs when trying to make referrals to NHS hospitals for NHS-registered patients are being taken up by the IDF.
Health authorities and NHS England have admitted there is no statutory reason why this should not be possible.