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GPs call for NHS overhaul rethink GPs want more radical NHS rethink
(about 1 hour later)
By Nick Triggle Health correspondent, BBC NewsBy Nick Triggle Health correspondent, BBC News
The re-think over the NHS overhaul in England must not be just a "re-spray job", GP leaders say. GPs have urged ministers to be more radical in their re-shaping of the NHS plans for England.
Earlier this week David Cameron outlined a series of changes he was prepared to make to win over critics.Earlier this week David Cameron outlined a series of changes he was prepared to make to win over critics.
But Dr Laurence Buckman, of the British Medical Association, suggested the measures did not go far enough. But doctors at the British Medical Association's annual GPs conference said the steps were still not enough to win their backing.
In a speech to the annual GPs conference, he also renewed calls for significant changes, especially to plans around competition. The union's leaders warned a further climb down was needed over competition in particular.
Hundreds of GPs have gathered in London for the two-day meeting during which a number of critical motions will be debated. During the opening session of the two-day meeting in London a series of critical motions were passed warning patient care was under threat and services could become fragmented if the changes were introduced.
The meeting is taking place just two days after the prime minister set out a number of concessions he was planning to make. The conference is taking place just two days after the prime minister set out a number of concessions he was planning to make.
Under Health Secretary Andrew Lansley's original plans, consortia of GPs would be given much more responsibility for spending the NHS budget in England, while greater competition within the private sector would be encouraged. Under Health Secretary Andrew Lansley's original plans consortia of GPs would be given much more responsibility for spending the NHS budget in England, while greater competition with the private sector would be encouraged.
It has been dubbed as the most radical overhaul of the health service since its creation in the 1940s. But on Tuesday Mr Cameron indicated his willingness to include hospital doctors and nurses on the consortia alongside GPs and also said the NHS regulator would have a duty to promote co-operation as well as competition.
Mr Cameron has now indicated his willingness to include hospital doctors and nurses on the consortia alongside GPs and also says the NHS regulator will have a duty to promote co-operation as well as competition. But in his speech to open the union's conference, Dr Laurence Buckman, the chairman of the BMA's GPs committee, said: "He has still not taken away the duty to promote competition. I want politicians of every stripe to understand that we do not need competition to run the NHS. It creates duplication that is wasteful.
But Dr Buckman, who is chairman of the BMA's GP committee, said what had been announced so far did not seem to go far enough.
"He has still not taken away the duty to promote competition. I want politicians of every stripe to understand that we do not need competition to run the NHS. It creates duplication that is wasteful.
"This bill whether substantially amended or not is going to alter the face of the English NHS forever.""This bill whether substantially amended or not is going to alter the face of the English NHS forever."
He also said it was now important that ministers go further with their concessions. He said it was now important that ministers go further.
More details are expected to emerge next week of how the plans could change when the panel set up to carry out the recent listening exercise hands in its report to cabinet.More details are expected to emerge next week of how the plans could change when the panel set up to carry out the recent listening exercise hands in its report to cabinet.
Dr Buckman said: "My plea is please do not let this exercise just be a re-spray job to try to persuade us to accept the unacceptable."Dr Buckman said: "My plea is please do not let this exercise just be a re-spray job to try to persuade us to accept the unacceptable."
The re-think over the NHS overhaul in England must not be just a "re-spray job", GP leaders say. Concerns were also expressed about the potential conflict of interest doctors could face in making decisions about the budget, while doing their best for individual patients.
Fears have also been voiced about whether expanding the membership on consortia to other professionals could dilute decision-making.
Dr Simon Hodson, a GP from Shropshire, said: "This pause can only be seen as a sham."
And Dr Tim Bland, who works in Barking and Havering, London, said: "I believe the health bill is the greatest threat to the NHS since its inception."
But not everyone was so opposed. There was even a motion - voted down - that said the plans were a "great opportunity".
Dr Phil Garnett, from North Yorkshire, said GPs had a "responsibility" to work with the government as the NHS was facing some difficult decisions because of tightening budgets.
"We are in the best position to make these decisions because we talk to patients on a daily basis," he said.