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Cameron hails ‘can do’ spirit of Bexley GPs

David Cameron has hailed a group of Bexley GPs for showing the type of ‘leadership' the PM believes is needed in his vision of 'can do Britain'.

In his closing speech to the Conservative Party conference, the PrimeMinister praised GPs at Bexley Medical Group for working to ‘cut waiting times, cut costs and improve care' by redesigning its cardiology pathway.

Under the Bexley Group model, previously praised by health secretary Andrew Lansley, patients with suspected heart problems are seen at the practice by a consultant cardiologist, rather than being automatically sent to hospital for tests. If further screening is required, Bexley Group patients are sent to a Harley Street clinic for a CT scan, paid for by the NHS but at less overall cost than hospital tests.

In his speech, Mr Cameron said:‘Some say that to succeed in this world, we need to become more like India, or China, or Brazil. I say: we need to become more like us. The real us. Hard-working, pioneering, independent, creative, adaptable, optimistic, can-do. That's the spirit that has made this United Kingdom what it is: a small country that does great things; one of the most incredible success stories in the history of the world.'

‘And it's a spirit that's alive and well today…I see it in the group of GPs in Bexley who have taken more control of their budgets, and got their patients - some of the poorest in the country - free care on Harley Street. Their ambition? To cut waiting times, cut costs and improve care - all in one go. That's leadership.'

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