Madam, – You are not comparing like with like when you report that Irish doctors are being paid five times more than their UK colleagues to give shots of flu vaccine (Home News, September 24th).
Because GP treatment is free in the UK, people are far more likely to run to the surgery with a minor illness. There may be good reason to subsidise vaccinations in such circumstances, in the interests of saving treatment costs. Moreover, because patients tend to visit “free” GPs more often, doctors have more chance of giving the vaccination in the course of a routine consultation, rather than setting one up specially.
Finally, the UK GP’s time is already paid for, since he gets paid per patient on his list, not per consultation.
Perhaps I should add that I have no connection with the medical profession. – Yours, etc,