Science
Doctors say red tape delays surgery
London | January 04, 2007 12:01:13 AM IST
Many British family practice doctors said patients could wait years for surgery because of forced referrals and the inability to use preferred consultants. Doctors said they are forced to use a referral center to get their patients into the hospital, The Telegraph said. Referral management centers buffer direct contact between GPs and hospitals, observers said. A survey by Pulse magazine found that 53 percent of the physicians said they had to refer patients to a center. Another 43 percent said they couldn't refer patients to consultants they wanted. In some communities, doctors said both constraints were in effect. The government set six months as the maximum waiting time for hospital treatment but the clock currently starts ticking once a referral is made to the hospital, doctors said. Management referral centers increase the time because letters must pass between the doctor and the facility. One doctor called the management centers an unnecessary bureaucratic layer designed to save the government money. A Department of Health spokesman said the centers ensure that patients see the most appropriate clinician in the most convenient setting. (UPI)
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