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The practice of GPs charging retainers to care homes
- Author:
- BALBES James
- Publisher:
- Care England
- Publication year:
- 2013
- Pagination:
- 3
- Place of publication:
- London
This briefing follows up two previous reports by Maria Patterson of the English Community Care Association (ECCA): ‘Can we afford the doctor?' (2008); and ‘Postcode tariff: PCTs and GP retainers in care homes’ (2010). These reports investigated the practice of general practitioners charging retainers to work with care homes. The research confirmed this to be a widespread practice, and that the concept of free health care at the point of need was not necessarily true for residents of care homes. This summary report published by ECCA’s successor body, Care England outlines findings of ECCA’s repeat of its survey, and indicates that GPs continue to charge retainer fees for basic services. Of the 34 care homes responding, 30 pay a retainer to secure the services of a GP practice. Of these 30, only two defined the service that they receive from their local practice as being enhanced. (Original abstract)