Member News
By Sally Priestley - 14th June 2006
Government moves to encourage more private health firms into the NHS have come under fire from a top doctor.
Provision of private sector care, particularly GPs from private firms, is one of the key motions being discussed on the first day of a two-day GPs conference in London.
Dr Hamish Meldrum, chairman of the British Medical Association's GPs committee, will say that the government needs to slow down its GP reforms.
He will also urge it not to reorganise the NHS for "reorganisation's sake".
The government is expected to step up the role of private firms in providing GP care in England as part of its aim to provide more care in the community.
The BMA has already warned that the GP market could become monopolised by several big health firms.
It says alternative providers - such as private firms - should only be considered if there is an identified need and existing providers have been given the chance to deliver the service.
Dr Meldrum will also attack the decision to cut training budgets for GPs, with some areas seeing a 10 per cent cut in funding.
He will say that training budgets are the "life-blood" of general practice.
GP premises also need investment if the NHS is to transfer services from hospitals to surgeries, as outlined in the government's target to bring healthcare services closer to home, the doctors' leader will add.
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