We refer to Government plans to change GP surgeries to polyclinics.

Our family doctors, when gathering information about us, rely heavily on as much time as possible picking up tiny, possibly causative details, as they develop over the period.

The advantages of additional services available in large self-contained practices are, unfortunately, overshadowed by the fact that when the need would arise for us to be passed to another doctor, that poor GP would have to start all over again to try to get to know the situation.

Admittedly, they have our data in front of them, but our own doctor, who probably brought us into the world, has the incomparable background knowledge which only time can furnish.

All too often, we hear people who have moved into new premises, remark: "It embodies many improvements, but I do wish they'd had a word with the hands-on personnel who are going to operate from here, and are able to point out potential snags before the idea goes to the drawing board."

We hope these observations have provided some food for thought.

JEAN and JOHN RADFORD Great Clarendon Street Jericho Oxford