AMERICANS and Canadians in need of a check-up in the UK may struggle to find a GP willing to help.

According to Pulse online (pulsetoday.co.uk), some GPs are refusing to treat US citizens amid concerns that they could be sued in a US court if things go wrong – despite reassurances from the Medical Protection Society that such a scenario is highly unlikely.

UK GPs say that medical insurance companies do not provide indemnity cover for action brought in a North American court, even if it is related to treatment in the UK.

The General Medical Council’s (GMC) Fitness to Practice Directorate turned down a complaint from a US citizen who claimed that he had been discriminated against because of his nationality when he was declined treatment, Pulse says.

With the GMC saying that it will not take action against GPs who refuse to treat US nationals living in the UK, doctors are being given carte blanche to shut the door on them.

The British Medical Association (BMA) is accused of scaremongering after dragging patients into its ongoing row with the Government over GP pay and opening hours, Health Service Journal (Jan 17) reports.

Laurence Buckman, who chairs the BMA’s GP Committee, wrote to 32,000 GP members updating them on the general medical services contract negotiations. His letter included an A4 poster for GPs to put up in surgeries, headlined: “Your general practice and the family doctor service in general is under threat.” It says that Government plans to let commercial companies set up and provide GP services could harm patients, with profits coming before patient needs.

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