Should the NHS charge for such things?

Completely agree. For the first time in my life, I’m 62, I’m ashamed to say I missed a long-awaited dental appointment the day after my husband was taken into hospital, emergency admission. Simply forgot.
I received a text saying as it was the first time, I would not be charged but would be charged for the full cost of the appointment if this happened again. I would be very willing to pay (though I hope it doesn’t, I felt awful!) We’re in Scotland.

Yes, I can imagine it very easily. I think it's precisely what Reform would do.

Dentists do usually charge for missed appointments as do many other services. I'm concerned about charging for missed hospital appointments, the problem is some letters giving hospital appointments are turning up after the date of the appointment. I know this is probably not the case for most but it is becoming an increasing problem.
I wanted to cancel a GP appointment a few months ago. I telephoned the surgery and was in a long queue, after 30 minutes hanging on I rang off and drove to the surgery to cancel in person. The receptionist said they normally only take cancellations by phone 🙄

The number of wasted appointments is disconcerting, though sometimes there is a good reason eg not having received the appointment letter! I think it would be fair to levy a charge the second time an appointment is missed, but I am not sure how it could be implemented. An alternative is being struck off.

As for meals, in theory I would be happy to pay for meals in hospital provided the food was decent. But there will be patients whose conditions need special meals. Should they pay? Surely not? And what about people who refuse to pay and get their relatives to bring food in. I wouldn’t want to be on a ward smelling of curry, for example. ( No, I am not being racist. Curry is a popular dish and easily obtained. I just don’t like it.)

One of the problems of charging for things like meals or missed appts is that there is a cost attached to it. Records would have to be kept and lots of policy decisions made such as would you be charged in advance or afterwards, what if you didn’t pay? Who would be exempt? What about disputes about quality of food or an appt letter not being received? It would be a minefield and gobble up a lot of staff resources potentially. I doubt the amount of money raised would be worth it.

I think they wouldn need fo4get their own house in order, first.
Appointment letters arriving a week after the event, urgent refferals arriving 6 weeks after someone has died, etc, neing unable to reach anyone to change or cancel an appointment.
Appointments being made to discuss blood results when you're unable to get a blood test spring to mind...

I've only missed an appointment once in my 73 years. I hadn't received the letter telling me of the change so I turned up in the afternoon and the appointment had been changed to the morning. It was clear I wasn't believed from the attitude. I was really annoyed I dread to think how I'd have felt if I'd been handed a bill.

Cabbie21

The number of wasted appointments is disconcerting, though sometimes there is a good reason eg not having received the appointment letter! I think it would be fair to levy a charge the second time an appointment is missed, but I am not sure how it could be implemented. An alternative is being struck off.

As for meals, in theory I would be happy to pay for meals in hospital provided the food was decent. But there will be patients whose conditions need special meals. Should they pay? Surely not? And what about people who refuse to pay and get their relatives to bring food in. I wouldn’t want to be on a ward smelling of curry, for example. ( No, I am not being racist. Curry is a popular dish and easily obtained. I just don’t like it.)

When I had my first baby, 1971, the best meals on the maternity ward were for people who had ticked for Asian menu. We'd all be waiting for all the Asian ladies to get their meals so we could have a curry instead of slop.

In France you have to pay for meals, full price, even if it is a yogurt, three meals a day.
I also have to pay missed appointments for specialist.
But people are texted/ messaged a week in advance as well as days before hand asking if they would like to cancel free of charge, so there is no excuse.

If I didn’t have someone overnight in the same house/flat where I was sleep after a GA, I would have to pay for the night in the hospital because I was well enough to leave.

I think this would also stop bed blocking as AC have to pay for a level of parents’ care, depending on income, however, parents cannot disinherit children.

It would cost a fortune to charge people even for simple things because people would have to be employed to take the money and "keep the books" . I think it would be a non-starter. Who would pay, would one have to receive a specific amount of salary or pension? What about the refusnicks?

I spent 3 days in hospital recently and the food was disgusting. The same food every day. I didn't want it when free, and I certainly would not have paid for that slop.

mokryna

In France you have to pay for meals, full price, even if it is a yogurt, three meals a day.
I also have to pay missed appointments for specialist.
But people are texted/ messaged a week in advance as well as days before hand asking if they would like to cancel free of charge, so there is no excuse.

If I didn’t have someone overnight in the same house/flat where I was sleep after a GA, I would have to pay for the night in the hospital because I was well enough to leave.

I think this would also stop bed blocking as AC have to pay for a level of parents’ care, depending on income, however, parents cannot disinherit children.

What happens if you can't pay? I'm guessing people aren't left to starve.

Also in France people can chose a date that is convenient to them and the hospital suggests times or other dates. Why not? It works here instead of being told an inconvenient date, it would help people.

What happens if you can't pay? I'm guessing people aren't left to starve
I would think there would be help,as the social system is good. However, most people eat at home so it is replacing that.

More trouble than it would be worth.
But Reform would like the idea, it would be their first step to privatisation.

I had to make outpatients appointments as part of my job in the NHS. I had access to Registrar's and Consultant's clinic lists and was always disappointed to see so many spaces with 'No Show' added to the patient details. They all had waiting lists which were made worse by patients failing to keep their appointments. Making a charge would reduce this, I'm sure. Also charge people who use ambulances like taxis.

As long as patients can charge, too, I'm all for it.

‘Free at the point of use’ is such a sacred cow‘

Totally agree Witzend that care should be free at the point of use.
However if an appointment is missed then the service is being abused, not used, and a charge should be made I think. My dentist charges, the taxi driver has the meter running from the time the taxi was booked…

A £10 fine was tried a few years ago (precovid) at some surgeries local to where I lived then but stopped. I’m not sure why.

Ilovecheese

More trouble than it would be worth.
But Reform would like the idea, it would be their first step to privatisation.

Exactly. Introducing charges for those things is the first step on a very slippery slope indeed.

Rosie51

Dentists do usually charge for missed appointments as do many other services. I'm concerned about charging for missed hospital appointments, the problem is some letters giving hospital appointments are turning up after the date of the appointment. I know this is probably not the case for most but it is becoming an increasing problem.
I wanted to cancel a GP appointment a few months ago. I telephoned the surgery and was in a long queue, after 30 minutes hanging on I rang off and drove to the surgery to cancel in person. The receptionist said they normally only take cancellations by phone 🙄

Yes my dentist charges for forgotten appointments but will be sympathetic to illness so they say.
I would agree on payment for meals on a standard £10 per day for everyone bar children and teenagers up to 18 and those of pension age and anyone not in work. Being in hospital saves money after all, no gas, electricity, water charges or food to pay.

It needn’t be a ‘slippery slope’ to other things at all.I think many people would see it as fair.

Oreo

It needn’t be a ‘slippery slope’ to other things at all.I think many people would see it as fair.

Well being seen as ‘fair’ would depend on what counted as an acceptable or unacceptable reason for not attending. And an appeals system ( like with parking fines). And even if it were deemed that a charge was payable, what would happen if people wouldn’t or couldn’t pay? Would they be prosecuted?

One of my friends and I came up with a plan years ago. She was a practice manager. £10 put on a babies account at birth.
£5 deducted for the first missed appointment, £5 for the second. After that no appointments until the £10 was repaid.
Apart from emergencies of course. Note would have to be taken of those who needed reminders.
Yes it would take some time but everything is computerised now and we do have a lot of people looking for jobs.

My point on being fair was a daily food charge to patients in hospitals.

Being in hospital saves money after all, no gas, electricity, water charges or food to pay. that only fully computes if you live alone. Heating the oven for two meals isn't halved if you're only cooking for the remaining one at home. Heating a room doesn't halve because one of you is in hospital. Food costs may be less but will a hospital charge a commercial rate or what the person's share would have been at home? It really isn't that easy or straightforward. Don't we read that supposedly recoverable hospital costs incurred by foreign visitors are often not recovered because the method for pursuing is too costly?
If you are in hospital for any length of time I think certain benefit payments are reduced. I believe my D-I-L lost carers allowance when she was hospitalised for a week, as she couldn't do the caring. At least that's what she thought would happen when she notified the relevant authority.