'Centralised, unstoppable, NHS bureaucracy'

6:40am Wednesday 6th August 2008

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Richmond’s medical system could be in for an unnecessary shake-up if the Government goes ahead with a plan to create one-stop healthcare shops, MP Vincent Cable has warned.

Dr Cable says the borough’s primary care system – built around GPs and Teddington Memorial Hospital – may be disrupted if a polyclinic is built in the area.

But Richmond and Twickenham Primary Care Trust (PCT), the organisation responsible for health services in the borough, has moved to quell fears, indicating the plans fit in with its vision.

Polyclinics – which are set to house up to 25 GPs as well as antenatal and postnatal care, community mental health services, community care, social care and specialist advice – were devised by Health Minister Lord Ara Darzi as part of a planned restructuring of health services, but Dr Cable says the borough doesn’t need the disruption.

He has written to Health Secretary Alan Johnson to ask why the PCT is being required to go out to tender for the polyclinic option when it has a “perfectly good” model.

“Teddington Memorial Hospital provides a hub of support services like physiotherapy, x-ray and cancer screening,” he said.

“When I discussed these issues with Lord Darzi he was highly enthusiastic about what we are doing locally.

“I suspect that this is another example of centralised, unstoppable, NHS bureaucracy unable to comprehend local differences.”

Dr Cable also indicated this plan may be used as a base for introducing private health providers.

Sinead O’Brien, director of primary care at Richmond and Twickenham PCT, said: “The PCT has been working for several years to make more health services available outside of large hospitals and in the local community.

“The polyclinic vision fits very well with this strategy of improving access to primary care and providing services locally and we are looking forward to building further on the work that we have already done to provide extra access to GP services and other health services and additional choice for patients.”