Dear Liberal Democrat MPs,
I emailed you as a group on 8/9/11 (see below). I received no answer.
The Department of Health and Andrew Lansley are now running a pilot on boundary-free general practice, and Tower Hamlets, my borough, has been chosen as a pilot site.
Let me repeat what I wrote in September:
I am writing now to put to you the same question I put to Andrew Lansley in March 2010: do you have a position paper, feasibility study, or related documentation which gives evidence that you have considered not only the benefits but also the risks of this idea [abolishing GP boundaries], and that you understand the nature of general practice (and here I mean quality general practice)?
If none of you can answer this question, can you point me in the direction of who, within the Liberal Democrat Party, might be able to help me?
Best wishes,
George
The Tredegar Practice, 35 St Stephens Road, London E3 5JD
From: George Farrelly [mailto:hearth@globalnet.co.uk]
Sent: 08 September 2011 06:19
To: ‘Adrian Sanders’; ‘Alan Beith’; ‘Alan Reid’; ‘Alistair Carmichael’; ‘Andrew George’; ‘Andrew Stunnell’; ‘Annette Brooke’; ‘Bob Russell’; ‘Charles Kennedy’; ‘Chris Huhne’; ‘Dan Rogerson’; ‘Danny Alexander’; ‘David Heath’; ‘David Laws’; ‘David Ward’; ‘Don Foster’; ‘Duncan Hames’; ‘Edward Davey’; ‘Gordon Birtwistle’; ‘Greg Mulholland’; ‘Ian Swales’; ‘Jenny Willott’; ‘Jeremy Browne’; ‘Jo Swinson’; ‘John Hemming’; ‘John Leech’; ‘John Pugh’; ‘John Thurso’; ‘Julian Huppert’; ‘Lorely Burt’; ‘Lynne Featherstone’; ‘Malcolm Bruce’; ‘Mark Hunter’; ‘Mark Williams’; ‘Martin Horwood’; ‘Menzies Campbell’; ‘Michael Moore’; ‘Mike Crockart’; ‘Mike Hancock’; ‘Nick Clegg’; ‘Nick Harvey’; ‘Norman Baker’; ‘Norman Lamb’; ‘Paul Burstow’; ‘Robert Smith’; ‘Roger Williams’; ‘Sarah Teather’; ‘Simon Hughes’; ‘Simon Wright’; ‘Stepehn Williams’; ‘Stephen Lloyd’; ‘Steve Gilbert’; ‘Steve Webb’; ‘Tessa Munt’; ‘Tim Farron’; ‘Tom Brake’; ‘Vincent Cable’
Cc: (susie.sell@haymarket.com); Lister, Sam; Mark Easton (mark.easton@bbc.co.uk); Sarah Boseley (sarah.boseley@guardian.co.uk); ‘j.laurence@independent.co.uk’
Subject: Question to Lib Dems on GP Practice Boundaries
Dear Liberal Democrat MPs,
As you will be aware, one of the policies in the Health Bill is the proposal to abolish GP practice boundaries. You may be less aware that most GPs think this is a very bad idea, and that the GPC will be resisting this ‘staunchly’ in their negotiations with the Government and Department of Health. It is said this this is to be a ‘battleground’ in the coming months.
I am a GP in Tower Hamlets. I have written to you as a group before.
I am writing now to put to you the same question I put to Andrew Lansley in March 2010: do you have a position paper, feasibility study, or related documentation which gives evidence that you have considered not only the benefits but also the risks of this idea [abolishing GP boundaries], and that you understand the nature of general practice (and here I mean quality general practice)?
I don’t know who within the Lib/Dem party is best able to answer this question so I am writing to you all.
Best wishes,
George
The Tredegar Practice, 35 St Stephens Road, London E3 5JD