The Liberal Democrats this week backed GP's Valuing General Practice campaign.
Speaking exclusively to GP, the Lib Dem shadow health secretary Norman Lamb said: ‘I'm absolutely clear that I'm wholly opposed to imposing these (polyclinics or GP-led health centres) from the centre.
‘It seems to me to be utterly ludicrous and yet more evidence of this central diktat.'
Read the full interview with Mr Lamb in this week's issue of GP dated 11 July.
GP's campaign is about so much more than polyclinics. So far 1,850-plus patients and GPs have signed the petition.
There's still time to download petitions and collect signatures from patients as we won't be compiling the final tally until 19 August. GP is keen to measure the value of general practice and pass on that message to government. Take part in the survey and be entered into a draw for £100 worth of Amazon vouchers.
So far 145 of you have filled out the survey but there's plenty of time to go as it closes on 19 August.
The campaign has so far won the backing of the RCGP, BMA, NHS Alliance, National Association of Primary Care, the Medical Women's Federation, Londonwide LMCs, Family Doctor Association, Dispensing Doctors Association and think tank http://www.2020health.org but had struggled to receive political backing until my colleagues Emma Bower (editor of GP and Independent Nurse) and Nick Bostock (news editor of GP and Independent Nurse) visited the Lib Dems.
Getting political parties aboard a campaign can be a frustrating business. I'd been advised by the Lib Dems that Valuing General Practice didn't ‘chime' with the party's policies and even that the Conservative Party might be a better bet. The Tories are still resisting - but that's another story.
Perhaps this week's unexpected Lib Dem enthusiasm might spur them into action.
neil.durham@haymarket.com