8 January 2007
"We will look at these proposals carefully and work with our colleagues at the Royal College of Surgeons to find a way forward. If this goes ahead it should be done in a supported and managed way, with the emphasis on patients’ best interests and the quality and safety of care.
It is likely that commissioning will be a strong driver for this. Some follow up - particularly after complex surgery - will always be necessary but there is no doubt that some hospital follow up appointments are not necessary and some patients already present to their GP after being discharged from hospital. If arrangements are properly set up, with local agreements between consultants and surgeons, it could work and make best use of the skills of the primary health care team and consultants’ time.
The strategic interest for primary care should not be lost: this development could allow for resources to be released from secondary care and redeployed for primary care through service redesign"
Professor Mayur Lakhani, Chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners
Ends