Labour policies attacked by GPs
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The Labour Party's policy to abolish GP fundholding would lead to worsening patient care and a growth in private medicine, with a "black market" in health care developing, fundholding GPs said yesterday.
Their criticism came as Bupa, the country's biggest health insurance company, launched the first "private GP" scheme. Subscribers to the scheme, called Health Direct, will pay pounds 6 a month for unlimited advice from GPs over the telephone. Visits will cost pounds 30, with surgeries open as late as 9pm. Patients will meet the full cost of any drugs prescribed.
Aimed at London commuters, the pilot is based in Reading and covers Berkshire, south Oxfordshire and north Hampshire, but if successful it could be introduced nationally.
Dr Ian Bogle, chairman of the GPs' committee for the BMA, described the Bupa plan as "bad news" for the health service. "This is two-tierism by ability to pay," he said. "It's an alarming development."
But a spokeswoman for Bupa said the company was "relieving the burden of care on some GP services. . . Fewer people will be troubling their family doctor."
And Dr Rhidian Morris, chairman of the National Association of Fundholding Practices, urged Labour to think again over their commitment to phase out fundholding, otherwise the private sector would be able to take over an increasing amount of primary care.
Fundholding gives GPs, rather than the local health authority, the cash to pay for hospital and community services for their patients. Nearly one in three practices in England and Wales is now fundholding.
Mr Morris said no party had promised more money for the NHS and where strict controls had been imposed in other countries, particularly eastern Europe, "they had developed a black market in health care".
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