Hard truths about medical entrepreneurs

Hard truths about medical entrepreneurs

A lot of doctors are gullible. In the current climate of hatred whipped up by the government against doctors in general and GPs in particular you will probably fall of your chair laughing if I said that few of us go into the profession to make money. There were probably some vague feelings about job security and a background assumption that, as a doctor, one was unlikely to starve, but that was about it. I can’t remember any conversations about amassing wealth. You do not think like that when you are a teenager and, even in your early twenties at medical school, few are saying “I want to be an orthopaedic surgeon because it pays so well.” Most of us ended up where we ended up for other reasons.

Of course, there are some medical entrepreneurs, like Dr Pete Smith, who we met recently. Then there is a pressure group called Doctors for Reform. I am vaguely aware of them, and once spent a couple of minutes on their website. Seem well-meaning. Pretty harmless, I expect. They have recently come out with the following:

The NHS doctors’ group Doctors for Reform has launched a new campaign to help patients who have been prevented from paying extra towards their NHS care in order to receive new drugs and treatments.

Legal opinion indicates that the Department of Health’s bar on such “top-up” payments is unlawful. Doctors for Reform’s campaign will build up a “fighting fund” of £35,000 to enable a patient to undertake a judicial review of the current legislation. This would establish a precedent that will potentially benefit thousands of patients around the country.

We strongly sympathise with patients who have been caught up in the current confusion over “top-up” payments. The current NHS funding system is not transparent, and patients are unsure of their rights and entitlements. Some patients have been able to “top-up” their NHS care and some have not. Patients in identical situations have access to different types of drugs depending on the area of the country in which they live. ( Doctor for Reform)

I can go along with that. Indeed, I can support it. Then I heard from Unity at the Ministry of Truth. She takes a long hard look at the background to Doctors for Reform. It makes uncomfortable reading.

Men’s wretchedness in soothe I so deplore,


Not even I would plague the sorry creatures more.

Goethe

[NHS Blog Doctor]