'In the year of its 60th birthday, plans for the NHS must not put existing services at risk' - John Leech MP
9.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Sat 5th Jul 2008
As Health Minister Lord Darzi prepares to announce his vision for the NHS' next ten years, John Leech MP is concerned that the Minister's recommendation for 150 GP-led health centres, dubbed polyclinics, will put existing doctors' surgeries at risk of closure.
MP for Manchester Withington, John Leech, said, "The government should not be enforcing a one-size-fits-all service on communities as it does nothing to address the inequalities of access. We should instead be ensuring that the government are investing in our existing GP surgeries, and improving patients' quality of care.
"A recent report shows that 31% of people would consider avoiding NHS surgery for fear of contracting an infection such as MRSA. The government should be concentrating on concerns such as these, rather than overhauling existing services.
"I firmly oppose the government's plans to halt its plans to promote commercial companies in general practice. It detracts from everything local surgeries stand for."
John Leech MP has backed the British Medical Association's petition regarding the government's plans to introduce polyclinics.
<ENDS>
Notes to editors:
John Leech MP has backed the British Medical Association's petition regarding the government's plans to introduce polyclinics, the text of which is set out below:
In the 60th year of the NHS, we, the undersigned, petition the Prime Minister to continue to support our existing GP surgeries and improve services to patients by further investment in existing GPs' surgeries.
We also urge the government to halt its plans to promote the use of commercial companies in general practice because this risks destabilising our local surgeries and threatens the comprehensive high quality care we receive from our GPs.
We don't want public funding to move from GP practices to commercial companies who are accountable primarily to shareholders rather than patients. Also, we want to be treated by GPs who see us as patients not customers.
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