Daily Echo - 19 June 2008

Written by Sandra Gidley on Thu 19th Jun 2008

Polyclinics were discussed in the House of Commons this week. In the blue corner the Conservatives were telling us that this was the end of the health service as we know it and all of our much loved GPs were doomed. In the red corner we were told that this was not a top down diktat from Whitehall and the aim was to improve services for the patient. The truth lies somewhere in between.

Let's start at the beginning. Lord Darzi is reviewing health service provision and is on record as saying that polyclinics will not be imposed on communities. I have spoken to him about this and believe that he is very genuine. However, his interim report did say that there would be "150 GP led health centres, situated in easily accessible locations and offering a range of services to all members of the local population." These will be available to all local people, whether they have registered or not. Many people have assumed that these are polyclinics and it has been difficult to tease out the difference between the two.

So, each PCT has to make plans for a GP led health centre. Time was short so decisions were made without consulting local people about the best location. Realistically this is impractical because people in Romsey will have different requirements to those in Winchester, Basingstoke or Havant. NHS bosses have chosen Basingstoke because this is an area with a rapidly expanding population.

Despite the fact that there will be little effect on many other areas of Hampshire GPs are campaigning against the changes and are describing the Basingstoke project as a polyclinic.

But, where does patient choice fit in to all of this? My personal view is that the vast majority of people highly value their GP and would want to see them about many health matters. I do know, from my time as a pharmacist, that there are also those who have a less easy relationship with their doctor. Others have problems accessing care at times that suit them.

But I also know that there is a need to bring more services closer to the patient and that there are occasions when, as a patient, I would have welcomed the chance to see someone with specialist knowledge of my condition and have the necessary tests to sort me out on the same day instead of over the period of a few weeks. The two are not mutually exclusive.

The Government is missing a trick here. On the one hand they are closing popular community hospitals and on the other they are opening new clinics. In many cases the local hospital could be turned into something akin to a polyclinic and local doctors and patients involved in designing and providing services. Everybody happy? Somehow I doubt it but I live in hope.