South Doc

steps_3314

Hi guys.

Just wondering if anyone can help me with this?

Last Saturday my GF who is 5 months pregnant rang South Doc because she had a head cold and thought maybe she was getting a chest invection. She could not sleep at night and wondered if there was any medication she could be given to help.

Anyway she spoke with the receptionist who said she would get the doctor to ring her. The doctor rang her 5 minutes later and asked her to call down.

So off she went and basically when she got there he put the Stetacope to her chest and said she was fine and that he was'nt going to give her any medication. She was in and out in 30 seconds and he charged her 60 euros.

Just wondering because we thought healthcare for pregnant women was free of charge. I understand that this is an emergency service. But surely he could have told her over the phone he was'nt going to prescribe any medication.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

whiskeyman

What's South Doc?

A doc doesn't have to prescribe medication to charge you.
This GP visit set you back €60 just to step through their door. This would have been advertised when signing up etc...

steps_3314

Apologies, should have said that South Doc is like a doctors surgery but are available when the regular GP's are off duty. Basically like an emergency service.

I understand that GP's will charge 60 euros just to walk in the door but not when your pregnant. Health care is then free.

I have my GF covered on my VHI so i can probably claim back from them.

Hope i dont sound tight but am curious.

whiskeyman

steps_3314 wrote: »

I understand that GP's will charge 60 euros just to walk in the door but not when your pregnant. Health care is then free.

Is it?? Is that in their terms and conditions?
I very much doubt it!

Run_to_da_hills

whiskeyman wrote: »

What's South Doc?

.

Are you sure its not "Up doc"?

steps_3314

whiskeyman wrote: »

Is it?? Is that in their terms and conditions?
I very much doubt it!

T & C's of what?

If you mean "Being pregnant" Then yes.. you don't get charged to visit your GP during pregnancy.

Karoma

Moved away from the monkeys in AH. Hope it's okay here.

steps_3314

Karoma wrote: »

Moved away from the monkeys in AH. Hope it's okay here.

thank you.

LolaDub

I don't think you're right.... think public healthcare in a hospital is free but i thought if you go to a gp then you fork out yourself

As far as I am aware, you only get so many free visits. And maybe his view was that she was attending with a different complaint not related to pregnancy? Just a thought.
PS: OP, where is SouthDoc moving to, do you know? Aren't they finished in Ballinorig?

steps_3314

LolaDub wrote: »

I don't think you're right.... think public healthcare in a hospital is free but i thought if you go to a gp then you fork out yourself

My GF has being to her GP at least once a month since we found out about pregnancy and has never had to pay.

I understand you probably need to pay for services like South Doc but the doctor could simply have said he was not going to prescribe any medication. That was the reason she wanted to visit him. And she explained this on the phone.

steps_3314

OsciiBoscii wrote: »

As far as I am aware, you only get so many free visits. And maybe his view was that she was attending with a different complaint not related to pregnancy? Just a thought.
PS: OP, where is SouthDoc moving to, do you know? Aren't they finished in Ballinorig?

I'm pretty sure there is one in every region. I know there's one in Douglas, Mallow and Blackpool at least.

LolaDub

steps_3314 wrote: »

My GF has being to her GP at least once a month since we found out about pregnancy and has never had to pay.

I understand you probably need to pay for services like South Doc but the doctor could simply have said he was not going to prescribe any medication. That was the reason she wanted to visit him. And she explained this on the phone.

Is this is a new rule? I'm fairly sure i had to pay when i was pregnant. Any emergency services or clinics like that are set up to get the cash through the door. They're a valuable tool alright but you definitely pay for them. As far as i know the vhi clinic in dundrum won't even see pregnant patients so at least he didn't refuse her. Piece of mind is everything in pregnancy

steps_3314

LolaDub wrote: »

Is this is a new rule? I'm fairly sure i had to pay when i was pregnant. Any emergency services or clinics like that are set up to get the cash through the door. They're a valuable tool alright but you definitely pay for them. As far as i know the vhi clinic in dundrum won't even see pregnant patients so at least he didn't refuse her. Piece of mind is everything in pregnancy

Yeah i was suprised too that there is'nt a cost with her GP.

And your right piece of mind is everything and that's what we both agreed also.

Will pay again next Saturday if the need arises.

daheff

steps_3314 wrote: »

T & C's of what?

If you mean "Being pregnant" Then yes.. you don't get charged to visit your GP during pregnancy.

this isnt true at all. Only for doctors who participate in the health board scheme ...then routine check ups as part of the pregnancy are covered...others arent

steps_3314

daheff wrote: »

this isnt true at all. Only for doctors who participate in the health board scheme ...then routine check ups as part of the pregnancy are covered...others arent

fair enough so.

just thought that this was the norm based on our experiences.

thanks for the comments.

Oryx

Your doctor visits are only free for pregnancy related conditions afaik. If you go with a headcold or an ingrown toenail or such, you pay. I did question my doc on this once and thats what I was told.

ceegee

steps_3314 wrote: »

My GF has being to her GP at least once a month since we found out about pregnancy and has never had to pay.

I understand you probably need to pay for services like South Doc but the doctor could simply have said he was not going to prescribe any medication. That was the reason she wanted to visit him. And she explained this on the phone.

How could the doctor have known over the phone that she would or wouldn't require medication?

brettmirl

Maybe you would have been better off ringing the VHI Nurseline first?
Might have saved you the €60.

I've used SouthDoc in the past (when I lived in Cork) and found them to be great. When you are sick 'out of hours' you don't mind paying out the money.

tallaght01

You can't prescribe a medicine properly until you've made a proper diagnosis. You can't make a diagnosis over the phone.