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The first consultants' clinics will be tested at a Boots store in Poole, Dorset. An agreement with the local primary care trust is close to being signed and it is due to open before Christmas. Patients referred by their GPs to consultants in orthopaedics and podiatry or for healthy heart checks or physiotherapy may be offered treatment at the store.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,1827463,00.html

What say you?

Cameron

 

The BBC's take on this:
Boots 'aims to host NHS clinics'

 

This sounds like Boots trying to make use of the vacant space in their shops that was left when they pulled out of healthcare in December 2004 - Poole was one of the shops involved. I've seen a number of these shops where the practice is still there, but not being used.

I'm not sure what's in it for Boots here - do they think that this will increase footfall into the shops? Are they hoping to get involved in the provision of services again? It will be interesting to see what develops.

Martin Nunn
Podiatry Service Manager
Hotter Comfort Concept

 

Am I missing something here?

How do Boots propose to staff these clinics?

Locally I am still told there is a shortage of GP's and as our elderly doctors retire there is great difficulty recruiting new doctors to take over; to the point now where it is more likely I enter locum GP on patient record cards complimented by a trendy practice name.

Granted this locality is away from the prosperous South.

Do I assume this ultimately fits in with the Commissioning a Patient Led NHS and shift in employer responsibility?

GB

 

interesting

Having worked for Boots there when it was a Podiatry & Dental clinic, then I have to say it probably won't work

One of the big reasons our the healthcare services failed along with the many reason linked to Dentistry was location within the store (usually tucked up the corner on the second floor with cards & seasonal offers), another reason was the astronomical rent we had to pay to Boots for the shop floor space ( Our services, like the opticians were actually seperate companies to Boots the chemist)

This is just another way of boots trying to fill floor space they haven't been able to utilise successfully in years. However my biggest concern would be the following issue raised by the Liberal Democrat health spokesman, Steve Webb, "The danger is there are no guarantees. What if Boots' corporate plan in five years' time says this doesn't make sense, it doesn't make money, so let's pull out. Healthcare is not a one-off transaction, it is a long-term relationship."


This is what has happened in all their previous "experiments"