| MP Attacks Polyclinic Proposals |
| Thursday, 21 February 2008 | |
|
Announcements in the last few days that the government prefers the model of a polyclinic to the traditional GP surgery have been criticised by local MP John Pugh. John, who met with local GP representatives on Friday to discuss problems faced by Southport GPs refers to the advent of the polyclinic as 'the industrialisation of health care' commenting "We can't have the local GP surgery going the same way as the local shop, the local garage and the local post office. The idea of a family doctor familiar with families' medical history and aware of all aspects of their health is surely preferable to a supermarket approach to healthcare." He goes on to say: "People with anxieties or embarrassment about health issues wont feel happy going to people who don't know them. I am not convinced that the evidence shows polyclinics will be good for the nation's health. Added to which we may find that polyclinics get run by private firms with possible conflicts between profits and professional standards. "The BMA (British Medical Association) are right to be concerned. Clinics have their place but the tried and trusted GP system where highly intelligent people with a minimum of five years rigorous training act as the first point for diagnosis and referral, backed by full data on the patient is hard to fault. The government's obsession with taking apart the NHS brick by brick is probably the biggest distraction from progress." |