Health Editor Barry Nelson talks to GPs.

DR JOHN O’DONOGHUE, a GP in Billingham, said: “I am very enthusiastic and I am looking forward to GP commissioning. What I like about it is that it is a patient-centred, practicebased, bottom-up approach.

“It will allow us to encourage colleagues to look closely at where they refer patients and to consider whether there are more appropriate alternatives.

“Sending someone to see a consultant could cost anything from £250 to £3,000, yet it might be more appropriate to send the patients for more tests or to see a physiotherapist.”

Dr O’Donoghue said he had not encountered any local GP who was hostile to the plans, although some were “a bit fearful”.

Dr Ahmet Fuat, a GP in Darlington, said: “I am in favour of some aspects of the reforms, but not in favour of others. I am in favour of steamlining the NHS and getting rid of the layers of bureaucracy that have wasted millions, but we have to try to keep the good managers we have.

“I am in favour of giving more power to GPs, but I sometimes wonder if that might be a poisoned chalice and we will be blamed for all the cutbacks that are going to happen.”

But Dr Fuat said he was not in favour of opening up the NHS to private competition.

“We are in danger of fragmenting the NHS unless we can keep everybody together.”

Two GPs from rural areas of County Durham expressed concern about the Government’s proposals.

One GP said: “I agree that GPs should be more involved in commissioning services, but where I am cautious is the way the Government is doing this in a rather untried and untested way. They have set up Pathfinder projects to test the way but if they fail to meet their financial targets after a year or two I can’t believe they will allow the scheme to go ahead without changes.”

The second GP said: “My cynical view is that governments of all colours have realised they cannot continue funding the NHS as it is and they are going to have to ration care. They have decided to give the budgets to GPs and let them make the decisions about rationing.”