Why flu to GP?

The reason I wanted to challenge not just the figure per se but the actual concept was because I think we are as a nation, very innumerate and statistically very unsophisticated. Politicians and other powerful people and institutions including the media, use figures like this to deliberately mislead and as propaganda. Whenever figures like this are quoted we should stop and think. I listen regularly to More or Less and it abolishes many myths like this regularly ( as does fullfact and C4s fact check). As for the problem of missed appointments, I think practice managers should ( and in some cases do) write to serial offenders bearing in mind however the individual circumstances of the patient

The ‘costs’ involved are worked out taking into consideration many other costs that many simply don’t think about. These include heating, internet and phone bills, admin costs, equipment, upkeep of the building, insurance, cleaning, and so on. Where all these are fed into the equation then the total amount is divided into smaller units such as a the cost of a 10 minute appointment.

If you wrote down all your own costs over a year you would be surprised just how much per hour it takes to run a family home.

Meg Those are fixed costs though. They occur whether or not the GP is busy seeing patients all day or going on courses or on holiday or simply twiddling his or her thumbs.
They're not affected by whether a particular individual patient turns up or not.
All those costs add up to the costs of running the practice, but it's misleading and inaccurate to imply that if Mrs Jones forgets her appointment, she personally has cost the NHS £140 or whatever.
It's not as if the practice receives £140 for each patient visit - they don't.
They actually receive around £136 per year per patient. So the more often you go to your GP, the less they are paid per visit.

Barmyoldbat I am inferring a one off fixed charge, say £10 or £20 with no ongoing cost. The amount is just sufficient to deter time wasters who could easily get advice from a pharmacist.
I have had cancer and a pulmonary embolism and am now crippled with back and limb pain and finding it almost impossible to get an appointment.

My dd has flu like symptoms 2 weeks before Christmas and lost a week of work. She was still coughing and despite beginning to feel a bit better at Christmas began to feel unwell again. Because of her job she needed to be sure she was ok so went to Dr last week. She was told the cough wasn't on her chest and would eventually go. It is now beginning to abate and she is feeling more human. I think if it wasn't for her job she would not have gone to Dr.

Yes, I understand that Jane

maryeliza I listened to the 'More or Less' podcast that explained why the true cost of missed appointments was far less than the advertised figure.
I'd recommend it to everyone - Tim Harford is excellent at explaining complex numbers in a simple and understandable way and I usually learn something new.

A charge would dissuade those who are already resisting advice to visit a GP; somebody like my elderly mother has to be frogmarched in. It would end in a doctor having to visit.
What about those who are already immuno compromised?

The GP's must have some idea which patients are constantly making appointments for minor ailments. I agree that a fee should be charged if they do not turn up for an appointment and haven't rang to cancel.
I think it was much better years ago when you went to the doctor when you were ill and got to see someone on the day. If you were ill enough that you couldn't get out of bed the doctor called after surgery (now people ring for an ambulance).Booking days in advance means people often feel better and don't cancel.

Whilst out last night at my whist group, one of the ladies obviously had either a cold or the flu coming on. She actually took medication while we were playing. I must admit i felt quite annoyed at her lack of consideration for anyone else at the club, many who are very elderly and have health issues already. This is how virus' are spread, i will not be happy if i end up having caught it from her!!!