Super surgeries to be built in London

NHS leaders formally gave the go-ahead for a network of polyclinics to be built across London as the dispute between the Government and the medical profession intensified.

A joint committee of the 31 primary care trusts in London approved plans to provide at least 150 of the super-surgeries with the first expected to open in April next year.

Related articles

• The Big Question: What are polyclinics, and why are doctors so angry about them?
• The arguments for and against
• Search the news archive for more stories

A spokesman for NHS London said 51 per cent of the public had supported the plans with 29 per cent opposed in the "largest ever healthcare consultation". He continued: "Some will be new buildings, other will be networks of GP practices. There will probably be more than 150 in all."

Gordon Brown used his monthly Downing Street press conference to deny claims that the NHS was being privatised and that existing GP surgeries would face the axe. "The issue is about increasing access to primary care, not replacing the existing GPs. We want GPs to open longer hours and we want them to open at weekends and if that is not possible in some cases we want to provide other sources of medical care."

The BMA presented a petition yesterday of 1.2 million signatures to Downing Street calling on ministers to protect local surgeries and stop encouraging the use of private firms.

Private Medical Cover from £30 per month with Independent Compare