Medicine by numbers?

I’ve noticed something with the GP Registrars I sometimes get to supervise. They almost always forget to chase the QOF points. Its not even on their radar. When I’ve asked them it almost invariably “too busy chatting to the patient”. They aren’t taught about ticking the boxes, or if they are then they willfully forget. Compare that to a salaried GP – QOF chasing has now become our raison d'être. But lets be honest, who doesn’t hate chasing all the QOF Points? Perhaps someone should make the equivalent of a Photo-me booth? We could call it a QOF-me Booth? I reckon it could score most of the clinical QOF points. Pee in here, put your arm in here, blow here. QOF-me booth could do it all. Hmm, hang on a sec, that will do me out of a job! Forget I ever told you…

Are we getting to the point where we are practicing Medicine by numbers? It does make me wonder what is a GPs role in the future? If all chronic diseases can be managed by nurse-led clinics, acute problems can go to the drop-in clinics what’s left for us? Insurance reports and cremation forms I guess.