The ‘Doncaster GP' hailed by David Cameron as a champion of the health bill who was used to accuse Labour leader Ed Miliband of being ‘out of touch' with GP views, is no longer involved in the area's CCG and has relocated.
During Prime Minister's questions on Wednesday, Mr Cameron faced down claims from the opposition that swathes of the medical profession oppose the health bill by accusing Mr Miliband of being ‘out of touch' with the feelings of GPs in his own Doncaster constituency about the reforms.
The Prime Minister cited comments by ‘one particular GP, who hails from Doncaster' as evidence of support for the reforms. But the GP Mr Cameron quoted – Dr Greg Connor – is no longer involved in the area's clinical commissioning group having left in November 2011.
Citing the RCGP's recent poll that found 98% of GPs wanted the health bill scrapped, Mr Miliband asked: ‘Can the prime minister give the house an update on the support for his Bill from health professionals?'
Mr Cameron replied: ‘I think they want to hear from this one particular GP, who hails from Doncaster.
‘When he was the acting chairman of the Doncaster GP commissioning group, he said: "Becoming one of the first national pathfinder areas is a real boost for Doncaster."I think that what is good for Doncaster is good for the rest of the country, too.'
The Prime Minister went on to accuse Mr Miliband of ‘being out of touch with what is happening in Doncaster.'
An NHS Doncaster spokesperson confirmed that Dr Connor left the area in December 2011. He is now practising in Sheffield and is not currently listed on the Board of the Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group.
Dr Connor's departure was covered in a newsletter from Doncaster LMC from October 2011, which stated: ‘Goodbye to Dr Greg Connor who leaves Doncaster at the end of October, to join a partnership in Sheffield.'
