October
2006
Statement from Dr Mayur Lakhani,
Chairman, Royal College of General Practitioners:
“The concept of care closer to home is a sound
one and the RCGP welcomes the opportunity with the Department of
Health to shape this development.
“There are different ways of delivering this
vision. Patients are not keen on the idea of large impersonal
polyclinics. It would be preferable to have primary care centres or
primary and community care centres, maintaining and building on
personal care whilst offering a greater range of services in the
community. This does not mean “supersurgeries” but could mean
practices working in a virtual network supported by community
facilities.
“We have concerns that wholesale development
of extremely large practices could work against the ethos of family
medicine that patients value and want.
Practically we need to see more diagnostics,
GP to GP referrals, specialist nursing support and minor surgery.
Co-location with other services such as social services and
community nursing is important to ensure integration. It would be
risky to merely relocate hospital services without linking
effectively with primary care - leadership from clinicians will be
crucial.”
Ends.
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