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Just one per cent answer £1m poll on London superclinics
Sohpie Goodchild, health editor6 May 2008
Health bosses were today accused of wasting £1 million of taxpayers' cash on a poll over NHS reforms.
The biggest consultation into the future of healthcare in London has attracted only 5,000 responses - less than one per cent of the population.
The results, published for the first time today, show Londoners are dramatically divided over the introduction of "supersurgeries". Almost a third oppose the reforms proposed by health minister Lord Darzi, while two in 10 are unconvinced.
But half say they support merging GP surgeries into 150 polyclinics in London's largest shake-up of the NHS.
Under the blueprint, some A& E departments would be scaled down in favour of specialist centres for seriously ill patients and there would be a drive for more midwife-led home births.
Critics including the British Medical Association warn the changes have not been properly thought through and could mean patients have to travel further.
Many Londoners and hospital chiefs fear the proposals are based on a principle of "one size fits all". A response from Barts and the London Hospital also says the economic case for change has not been made.
It says: "There are particular concerns that a more distributed model of service provision might lead to a less effective use and potentially a dilution in skills unless adequate support, development and governance arrangements are in place." The consultation also showed:
• More than three in five people want trauma services to be regionalised in specialist centres.
• Nearly half of people want senior doctors at births, not just midwives.
• Three-quarters want GP surgeries open in evenings and at weekends.
• More than half support specialist centres for children.
The report reveals glitches in how the actual process was carried out. People complained the site crashed when they attempted to reply online, that the mailbox for voicemail messages was full and some post offices failed to recognise the freepost address given for responses.
David Sissling, programme director for Healthcare for London, said: "We're delighted with the outcome. We've been struck by the quality of the contributions we have received and the general enthusiasm for change."
Health bosses will now meet on 12 June to decide if they want to proceed with the reforms or redraft them.
But the Patients Association today called for an immediate review of how public opinion is surveyed. The lobby group's chairman, Dr Anthony Halperin, said: "This is an enormous amount of money to spend. Given the level of response it raises doubts about how these consultations are carried out."
The King's Fund said "no change" was not an option for London and insisted that more lives would be saved by concentrating care in a smaller number of hospitals.
But Professor John Appleby, the think- tank ' s chief economist, said: "The framework drawn up by NHS London is a chance to look sensibly again at the capital's health service. But in some areas evidence is less strong and there is a need for some caution such as moving GPs into much larger " polyclinics".
The consultation findings were commissioned by NHS London and based on analysis by pollsters Mori.
• Boris Johnson spoke out against polyclinics during his campaign. He said Lord Darzi's plan "threatens the closure or downgrading of existing services, breaking the Londoner's link with their family doctor". Under the plan London will get 150 polyclinics and some A&E departments will be scaled down. At present, the Mayor has limited powers over public health but the Government is expanding these to give him a new duty to reduce health inequalities.
