‘Cash for diagnoses’ dementia scheme is dropped
I commented on this story previously. This article suggests some very strange attitudes amongst doctors who didn’t agree with the principle but were prepared to take the money anyway. Now the policy is being abandoned. The principle of being paid for diagnosing has not changed in other aspects of GP’s work. I still think we need to understand the incentives GPs get for these other aspects of their work. The article tells us:
Simon Stevens, NHS chief executive, said the initiative, which met a backlash from doctors and patients, will end in April – the Government deadline for a target to improve diagnosis rates.
The national scheme was branded “an ethical travesty” by some GPs, 50 of whom wrote to Mr Stevens calling for the payments to be axed.
Leading GPs said that giving says that giving doctors financial rewards for diagnosing patients set a “dangerous precedent” which could break the trust between them and their patients.
They said the scheme, aimed at improving diagnosis rates for the condition, could have “truly tragic consequences” – in encouraging doctors to incorrectly label patients as suffering from the condition.
Earlier this month a poll of 600 GPs found that two thirds thought the scheme was not ethical – but almost half intended to take the payments anyway.