Conservatives urged to step up role of polyclinics and private sector

By Steve Nowottny

The founder of a private provider running a series of GP practices across the country has issued a public plea to the Conservative party to maintain the ‘momentum' of the polyclinic rollout if they win the general election.

Dr Jeremy Rose, clinical director and founder GP of The Practice, which currently runs nine GP practices and four GP-led health centres, and plans to open a further four shortly, also urged the Conservatives to bring in more private providers to help drive up health outcomes.

Writing in the Times, Dr Rose argued that polyclinics had helped shift care to the community and improve patient choice.

‘With a change in government and policy, momentum will inevitably be lost,' he wrote. ‘Many of the reforms in the manifesto are not new, but combined and introduced in a sustained way, they could effect change in the NHS.'

‘Facilitated by the polyclinic concept with an array of GP services, outpatient clinics, health information and so on in one place, the number of clinicians a patient needs to see and the number of clinics they attend is reduced, thus speeding up the process.'

He added: ‘As the NHS has evolved over recent years the presence of independent organisations has increased and a notion of payment by results is becoming more widely accepted. At the core is a drive for clinicians to achieve the best health outcomes for everyone, wherever they live.'

‘The possibility of more independent providers could be a catalyst for just this.'

Pulse reported earlier this month that the Conservatives have opened up talks with a series of private providers after pledging to step up the role of the independent sector in the NHS. The party said talks were ongoing with 'a wide range' of providers from the private and voluntary sectors.

To read the full version of Dr Rose's article in The Times, please click here.