The next day...

[Erichalfbee]

I don't think so no, she's totally private from what I can make out.

PH

You can hardly blame consultants abandoning the work when they end up paying the NHS to do it.

 

[Poly Hive]

?? Sorry but that makes no sense to me. Expand please?

PH

 

[Erichalfbee]

?? Sorry but that makes no sense to me. Expand please?

PH

The government has messed their pensions up so badly that if they get above a certain level, easily done for a consultant, they lose more than they earn.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Here in a simplistic nutshell
https://www.theguardian.com/society...urning-down-work-avoid-huge-pension-tax-bills

 

[thorn]

The government has messed their pensions up so badly that if they get above a certain level, easily done for a consultant, they lose more than they earn.

Which is why every GP who's reached the second half of the 50s is retiring.

 

[Poly Hive]

Interesting, which explains why mine is working as a limited company. I did some rough calcs to amuse myself while I was awaiting her attentions and it was bloody eyewatering. Phone call £100. Face to face consultation, £200. Ten minute operation £500. I worked it out that on a 3 day week she could be all up 500k/per year with two weeks hols. Admittedly she has two staff but still.

PH

 

[Boston Bees]

Here in a simplistic nutshell
https://www.theguardian.com/society...urning-down-work-avoid-huge-pension-tax-bills

Not an issue anymore.

In 2020 the government raised the threshhold so that the tapered annual allowance rules don't apply until someone's annual income exceeds £200,000 (up from £110,000).

This means that only a tiny number of consultants are now affected, and those that are don't really have much cause to complain about anything.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Not an issue anymore.

In 2020 the government raised the threshhold so that the tapered annual allowance rules don't apply until someone's annual income exceeds £200,000 (up from £110,000).

This means that only a tiny number of consultants are now affected, and those that are don't really have much cause to complain about anything.

Ah. Thanks for the correction.

 

[Amari]

Interesting, which explains why mine is working as a limited company. I did some rough calcs to amuse myself while I was awaiting her attentions and it was bloody eyewatering. Phone call £100. Face to face consultation, £200. Ten minute operation £500. I worked it out that on a 3 day week she could be all up 500k/per year with two weeks hols. Admittedly she has two staff but still.
PH

Yes, it seems a lot at first sight, but she'll have other expenses eg professional indemnity insurance (can be hefty) and a fee for use of the theatre at Spire etc. As with all professional fees it's not the 10 minutes time you pay for but the skill of the surgeon who has probably had an arduous training.
It would be interesting to compare compare fees with what vets (or solicitors for that matter) charge for a relatively simple procedure.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Wilco is your man. I left practice behind in 2007

 

[Wilco]

I'm not a practice owner, I currently teach at a vet school and locum but still think vet fees are nowhere near that level (perhaps some OOH companies).

When I was full time (and things have changed a little thanks to covid):
Phone calls were free
First consult (15min) was about £36
Second and follow up consults (15min) were meant to be about £25-30
Operations varied... Closest thing to a simple 10 min op is probably a dog castration but that really depends on the surgeon and the dog, varied between £120-200 including GA, drugs used, surgical time and materials, post op pain relief, two post op checks and nurse to monitor GA while vet operating. Neuterings are usually pretty much a loss leader though, across the industry, with the hope that clients will stick around providing custom on and off for the next 10+ years...

OOH place I often locum for charges a lot more for most things but the whole point is it's out of hours and meant to be emergencies only...

The major providers are big companies with lots of non-income earning staff who need paying plus pension fees, on top of the usual like insurance, ground rent, membership fees, drug costs, equipment and maintenance costs. Big companies often owned by/are investment companies who want a return as well. Vet industry is seen as recession proof thus a good investment. That being said most vet businesses are not particularly profitable due to various overheads.

It would be nice if most vets earned what people think we earn, suspect that private human surgeons earn significantly more but still not as much as we might think.

 

[Wilco]

Specialist vets tended to charge £200 ish for a consult but think it was generally longer than 10min.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I remember when my daughters cat was run over late at night in the mid 90's we took it to our vets who kept it over night and told us in the morning that he had a smashed pelvis and broken leg and although he couldn't do anything he knew a man who could!
He sent us to a young guy who was doing amazing things with animals (including repairing a hamsters broken leg with a length of hypodermic needle! - He told us the bill had been £300 - who the **** pays £300 to keep a hamster alive?)
The cat was bolted back together in about a week and when we went to collect him the vet presented us with the bill and asked if we were insured. When we said no he then went through the invoice saying things like "I'm sure we didn't use THAT much anaesthetic" - "surely he's not been here THAT long" and after about half a dozen adjustments the bill was reduced by about 45%.
It's amazing the price paid by insurance companies.
Oh by the way - the guys name was Noel Fitzpatrick - before he was famous. I always think he looks too good to be true on TV but in my dealings with him he was a kind, caring and sensitive guy - just like on TV

 

[Erichalfbee]

and after about half a dozen adjustments the bill was reduced by about 45%.

I’m sure lots of vets who run their own businesses do that. I certainly did. Unfortunately lots are now corporate and you can’t get away with it
And yes. Mr Fitzpatrick has a remarkable talent.

 

[Amari]

I had an operation down there a few years ago........one of the fruit was hanging significantly lower than the other; to me it was pretty obvious which one! But the surgeon reassuringly insisted on drawing an arrow on my stomach pointing down at the offending article.

Good on you! If the fairer sex sometimes indulge in enhancing their endowments then it's good to hear that you, as a bloke, thought it good to adjust your testimonials....

 

[user 20297]

Good on you! If the fairer sex sometimes indulge in enhancing their endowments then it's good to hear that you, as a bloke, thought it good to adjust your testimonials....

It was a choice between the surgical procedure or investing in a padded wheelbarrow.

 

[Poly Hive]

The amount I mentioned was her take from the £2.2k the hospital billed.

PH

 

[The Poot]

Recently my vet gave my dog a course of antibiotics to try to clear up an infection, probably caused by an unconfirmed cracked tooth.
The advice was for an extraction if the antibiotics failed. They failed.
I phoned to book an appointment and asked the cost of extraction,
I was told I would have to speak to the vet to get the price as the receptionist couldn’t give it.
The cost of the phone call would be £42.
I was given a ball park figure following an argument - by the receptionist.

I went to an alternative vet, who inspected the dog, confirmed the need for extraction, performed the operation and provided post operative care in a much more customer friendly manner, for quite a lot less.

It appeared to be the difference between a large (ish) town based group practice and a smaller, rural one.

 

[Erichalfbee]

It appeared to be the difference between a large (ish) town based group practice and a smaller, rural one.

That’s it……my vets used to be independent. They used to defer to my professional status and give me lots of leeway in prior diagnosis and duspensing of drugs. I always picked up Brackens vaccine and did it myself.
Then they were bought up and things have mightily changed. Some of the young vets employed there are quite unhappy. To add they get little mentoring and support.

 

[Amari]

The amount I mentioned was her take from the £2.2k the hospital billed.
PH

Wow, that’s mind boggling.....