'Get the story right!

GPs do NOT personally gain from reducing referral rates to secondary care. Any money saved (NOT achieved by stopping patients who need to see a see a specialist from seeing him/her but by reducing unnecessary follow ups) can be used to improve patient care eg by purchasing physiotherapy services so patients can be seen more rapidly. The purchasing process is rigorously controlled by the PCT.'

A comment to the Daily Mail following their 'scare' story on this

How sick! GPs paid bonus to NOT send you to hospital

How sad! Some people NEVER read past the headlines