Sir – The vast majority of the GPs in practices involved in the Oxford City Locality Commissioning Group want to make it clear to all political parties and the general public that whilst we support clinical commissioning, we are opposed to the Health and Social Care Bill.
Being involved in clinical commissioning does not equate with support for the Bill as some politicians have tried to claim. We support the stand of the Royal College of General Practitioners, the British Medical Association, the General Practitioners Committee, and many nursing and other allied health professional bodies in calling on the Coalition Government to withdraw the Health and Social Care Bill.
We believe that the Bill may harm patient care by reducing the NHS spirit of co-operation and increasing a competitive market of health care which may lead to fragmentation of care. The Bill is likely to increases costs and bureaucracy. If services fail this may lead to reduced access, greater inequity, reduced quality of health care and worse outcomes.
The 2010 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy telephone survey of 20,638 patients across 11 countries showed that the UK healthcare system was one of the best in the developed world.
The UK only spends 8.7 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) to achieve this, whereas USA spends 16 per cent GDP for worse outcomes.
The UK does not need this Bill. GPs will be happy to continue to commission working collaboratively with PCT Clusters. We all exist now, without legislation. There is no need for an extraordinarily complex reorganisation that no one voted for before the election.
Banbury Road Medical Centre, St Bartholomew’s Medical Centre, Bartlemas Surgery, Dr Bogdanor and Partners, Botley Medical centre, Bury Knowle Health Centre, Dr Chivers and Dr Parker, Dr Anscombe and Partners, Dr Rob Bennett and Dr Debbie Goldman of Holloway Medical Centre, Kennington Health Centre, Dr Kearley and Partners, The Leys Health Centre, Marston Medical Centre, Manor Surgery, North Oxford Medical Centre, Dr Stevens and Partners, St Clements Surgery, Summertown Health Centre, South Oxford Health Centre, Temple Cowley Health Centre, Wood Farm Health Centre, 19 Beaumont Street, 27 Beaumont Street, 28 Beaumont Street
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