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London: Health bosses are pressing ahead with polyclinics despite widespread opposition from Londoners.
Managers at the capital's 31 primary care trusts are in discussions about the proposed "supersurgeries", even though as few as ten people have said they are in favour of them in some areas.
Polyclinics are central to the government's overhaul of the health service but doctors and campaigners warn the reforms are being pushed through without proper thought. Latest figures show that more than 100 GP surgeries across London will shut to make way for polyclinics.
Healthcare for London, which ran a £1 million consultation on the proposals, claims that half of Londoners support the larger surgeries.
But a detailed breakdown of the consultation seen by the Evening Standard shows massive variation across the city, with fewer than 20 people in favour of the changes in areas such as Hammersmith and Fulham, Bexley and Tower Hamlets.
It comes amid fresh concern that only 5,000 people responded to the proposals - less than 1 per cent of the population.
Trusts are due to meet on 12 June to decide whether to approve the changes.
But NHS chiefs confirmed yesterday that everyone is already in talks about how to create the polyclinics. This comes ahead of the publication of a report by a leading think-tank into the impact of the changes. The King's Fund study warns that shifting services out of hospitals could be more costly for the NHS in the long term.
The British Medical Association and Londonwide Local Medical Committees are running campaigns in support of local GP surgeries, which they fear will be badly affected by the reforms.
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