Have I just heard Lord Darzi correctly when speaking about polyclinics (16/2/08)   "..... most patients love their GPs but we need to end that fanstastic relationship ..."

Surely this is a statement that the BMA should be jumping on and  publicising widely

sounds crazy to me so must have been misquoted surely.

However a lot of practices are now emplying  many salaried doctors and have done away with personal lists  so that we are cutting our own throats regarding the patient doctor relationship. These patients who see a new doctor on every visit will have little loyalty to their surgery and will happily migrate to the new open all hours polyclinics where they can be seen at weekends and evenings. Our great strenghth is the personal doctor that the patient can see on most occasions who knows the famiily background. If we lose this then we have little support against private providers using cheap salaried doctors...

Lord Darzi was interviewed on the BBC1 Breakfast programme and according to the BBC website he said: "Most patients love their GP, but I think we need to support that fantastic relationship between a patient and a doctor."

He clearly said "separate that relationship" on the video clip I saw

Also see report on http://www.uknetguide.co.uk/NewsFeed/18470925/Lord-Darzi-claims-polyclinics-better-for-patients.html

and

http://www.inthenews.co.uk/news/politics/lord-darzi-claims-polyclinics-better-patients-$1204849.htm

This was not what he said on the actual clip that was shown on the bbc website when I watched it. Also see

http://www.uknetguide.co.uk/NewsFeed/18470925/Lord-Darzi-claims-polyclinics-better-for-patients.html

and

http://www.inthenews.co.uk/news/politics/lord-darzi-claims-polyclinics-better-patients-$1204849.htm

when he seemed to signify the end of small practices