---

Family Doctor Services

The NHS Confederation is ““independent””, is it? It is the body that negotiated the contract and is responsible, with the Department, for the outcome. It is hardly independent. The National Audit Office is independent, and its conclusions on the contract need to be read. The contract was principally about delivering GP services where they were weakest; let me quote paragraph 4.13 of the NAO report:"““Elements of the new contract have not necessarily supported practices in deprived areas. The development of a new, needs-based funding formula was the key element of the new contract aimed at reducing inequality of provision. However, the introduction of the Minimum Practice Income Guarantee significantly reduced the redistributive impact of the formula””." The contract has undermined the tackling of health inequalities, which were at the heart of what it was trying to deliver. I will not go on about some of the other things, but if the hon. Gentleman wants another independent view about polyclinics, I refer him to the Patients Association, which understandably sees things entirely from the patient's point of view. Dr. Halperin, its chairman, said:"““What I believe patients want is to see their own GP, to have a regular relationship with a GP, and when they require further or more specialist treatment, to go to a hospital…what you””—" that is, the Government—"““are now doing is interposing a third layer of a polyclinic and I really don't see any advantage for it.””"