Government plans for new neighbourhood health centres risk overlooking the community care infrastructure that already exists, says DAUK’s GP committee.
Speaking to Pulse Today, Dr Steve Taylor, GP co-lead for the Doctors’ Association UK (DAUK), questioned what the plans aimed to achieve.
Dr Taylor said: “What are we trying to invent here? Is it outpatients in the community or is it actually community care?
“I think there is a sort of mixed up approach that we’ve got going on here, and I’m slightly concerned that we are missing something in terms of what we already have, and how do we integrate that better.”
Dr Taylor pointed out that general practice already provides local neighbourhood care across the country.
He said: “There are already 6,300 neighbourhood centres in the community within walking distance of 85 per cent of the population.
“In a city like Manchester people can access hospitals relatively easily. Rural communities need local access.”
We are a non-profit campaigning and lobbying organisation led by frontline doctors, for frontline doctors. We are volunteers and our collective aim is to give frontline workers a voice to be heard.
Please support our work by contributing to our crowd funder.