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A ROMSEY doctor has warned that plans to roll out up to 250 large and commercially-run new health centres nationwide could threaten traditional GP surgeries.

Dr Ian Keith, based at the NHS-run Alma Road general practice, is backing a British Medical Association campaign against "polyclinics", which have already been introduced in London.

Funding for extra services at GP practices will be axed and transferred to the new-style centres, claim opponents. About 120 GP surgeries across SE England, which includes Hampshire, may be in line for the axe, says the BMA.

Dr Keith fears Romsey's three GP practices and one at North Baddesley will be put at risk by the planned shake-up of health care.

"There will probably be about 25 GPs in these health centres, polyclinics, or supersurgeries, though I am not currently aware of plans for one in Romsey," said Dr Keith.

The GP questions the need for supersurgeries and warned that patients could end up travelling far to get medical care currently provided by family doctors.

"A lot of the services suggested we already have. I believe the Government is insisting that every primary care trust in the country has one of these supersurgeries, whether or not they are needed.

"I do have doubts about all this money being ploughed into new centres that are not needed. It could be better spent on improving the present network of practices. People who use GPs are not generally the young and fit, but with long-term medical conditions."

Dr Keith claimed that if a supersurgery was opened at Basingstoke, patients would have a long way to travel from Romsey and other parts of western Hampshire if smaller practices disappeared.

"We could have a supersurgery based on Romsey Hospital," said Dr Keith who warned this type of medical provision could close small GP practices like Romsey.

"Romsey Hospital provides similar services to those proposed by supersurgeries, so it seems ironic the Government wants to put money into reduplication services when it could have supported the hospital and not relied on the townspeople to save it," said Dr Keith.

Romsey's Conservative parliamentary candidate has also slammed the proposed shake-up of GP services. Caroline Nokes has warned 1,700 GP services could be axed nationwide and patients forced to travel miles to see a doctor. "London is being used as a test bed for these severe GP cuts.

"Currently, the average local GP in London is under half-a-mile away, but the Government has admitted this will more than treble once the planned 150 polyclinics are introduced. In Test Valley, GP surgeries are an average of 1.9 miles away. Under Labour plans, this would rise to over six miles.

"I'm concerned that planned cuts to GP surgeries will mean residents will have to travel further when they are ill. The elderly, infirm and young families will suffer most from increased journey times and in many areas there simply isn't public transport available.

"These polyclinics will be impersonal, breaking the valued link between patients and family doctor. This latest round of cuts comes on top of plans to close down local post offices. Gordon Brown doesn't seem to care about the social value of keeping services local."

8:26am Friday 11th July 2008

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