Opinion  

When doctors and patients objected they were told that the PCT had been 'unable to find any evidence of increased demand'. In which alternative universe land had it done this research, we wondered? Ah, it said, well, local docs are not referring any more patients to secondary care than anyone else, so that despite trying to meet access targets they didn't choose, they must be offering too many appointments.

It's the usual problem of demand being out of the usual proportion to need. Demand is what we see. Need goes to secondary care. GPs everywhere are trying to satisfy demand whilst prescribing, referring and being paid on the basis of need.

The logical conclusion is that if your needs are less than your wants then it's your GP who is standing in your way. Yes, that overpaid, paternalistic bloke who, despite not claiming for a second home he doesn't need or buying business class air tickets for his entire family out of taxpayers' money, has made an exceptionally newsworthy villain these past few months.

But I digress - it must be all the time I spend cataloguing my vintage wine making me tired - the town's practices have been forced to accept the income cut. Strangely, though, one week after contracts were signed and slightly longer after declaring it had found no evidence for increased demand, the PCT released details the proposed new Darzi clinic to be located here. It has decided to site Suffolk's only Darzi clinic in Haverhill because there is clear evidence, apparently, of increased patient demand locally.

Not increased enough to fund local practices to keep their existing doctors, even though the money they're going to put into the Darzi clinic is approaching three times the money it has taken off the practices. But increased enough to give the PCT chance to cut a ribbon and grab a headline about how local GPs have cut services and the DoH has stepped in with a Darzi clinic to save patients from harm. Cynical? Moi?

Dr Selby is a GP in Suffolk. Email her at GPcolumnists@haymarket.com