Fine the patients?

I was watching television this morning and there was a lengthy piece about on how long people have to wait to see a doctor. I never knew there was a problem, and in fact I never knew how lucky I am.

I have been registered with my surgery all my life, and have never been anywhere else, and so as it turns out, I have had the wool pulled over my eyes regarding the efficiency of doctors surgerys. If I phone up in the morning, I can get an appointment the very next day, and normally with my own doctor. I thought this was commonplace, but according to the television, and now having researched, it clearly isnt. Depending on where you live you could wait days for an appointment, not much fun when you are sick or in pain!

The last time I was in the doctors however, I did notice they had a sign that was kept up to date with the percentage of missed importants. It was running at around 7%. Now surely at the surgerys where you have to wait days for an appointment this figure must be huge. As people either get better, or have to travel to the local A&E.

Everytime an appointment is missed someone misses out. A doctor is left waiting, and a patient with a crippling painful illness is left at home waiting for his appointment in two days time bacause some idiot had a cold and after a day or so in bed feels a lot better and couldnt be bothered to ring up the surgery and cancel the appointment. The private sector would pay a GP between £20 and £25 for a consultation, so why not fine the patient this amount? I am sure if someone had to go private and knew if they didnt turn up they would still have to pay they would make sure they cancelled the appointment, so why should the NHS have to suffer?

I hate the way people just dont seem to care nowadays. "It someone elses problem", but its not, its all of ours problem.