It beggars belief that in its last pathetic months this bankrupt government's attempt to destroy the basis of trust built up over the last 60 years by further meddling with our Health Services.

 

 

 

 

 

For more than a century a unique trust has been created between our local doctors and patients – yet this is what is now at risk.

 

 

 

 

 

Under proposals forced on our local Primary Care Trust by this Labour Government a ‘polyclinic’ is to be opened in the centre of Stockport by October 2009 access able to all 8.00am – 8.00pm.

 

 

 

 

 

Locally, to meet the time scale, temporary accommodation will be required until it can be built on the St Thomas’s site in 2010/11 – totally unnecessary waste of money!

 

 

 

 

 

Apart from the structural cost, as yet to be disclosed, the service is expected to cost £800,000 per year for salaries etc.

 

 

 

 

 

Estimated patient throughput will be 8,000 per year equivalent to a contact cost of £100 per patient as compared to £25 at a GP’s surgery or even £55 attending at A&E.

 

 

 

 

 

The proposed centre will carry out a number of related functions, diagnostic services, mental health, sexual health, social care and healthy eating services.  The local PCT suggests the following additional services should be available without appointment – contraception services, flu jabs, lifestyle counselling, stop smoking courses and drop-in services for blood tests.

 

 

 

 

 

This service is opposed locally by a majority of our GPs on the grounds of wasted resources.  In a national poll 86% of GPs were against it whilst a further poll disclosed that only 36% of patients were in favour.

 

 

 

 

 

The programme is opposed in parliament by both the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives.

 

 

 

 

 

Lib Dem Leader, Nick Clegg said, speaking to the Kings Fund Health Group, “The great experiment  in ‘big government’ solutions has failed – a GP led health centre or polyclinic in every community suggests that government policy is heading in the same failed direction.â€

 

 

 

 

 

Whilst Conservative Shadow Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley says: “Government documents show that Labour plan the destruction of the family doctor as we know it and its replacement by large polyclinic style contractors.â€

 

 

 

 

 

It is my belief that these plans would lead to a reduction in the number of GPs and very likely the run down of our local A&E services followed by the downgrading of our District General Hospital and the creation of super special hospitals at some distance.

 

 

 

 

 

There is hope – the Conservatives are coming and the new government will reverse and suspend these plans!

Cllr Bryan Leck
Bramhall South

This article, by Cllr Bryan Leck, was first published by the Sotkcport Express 10/09/08.