Joined-up thinking?

doi:10.1136/bmj.39535.425139.1F

BMJ 2008;336:736 (5 April), doi:10.1136/bmj.39535.425139.1F

Letters

Doctors warn of premature move to polyclinics

Joined-up thinking?

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

There are many potential problems with polyclinics (or Darzi’skhazis, as I like to think of them), but the most obvious isthe effect they could have on the environment.¹ My practiceoperates two village surgeries, and I estimate that at least50% of our consultations are with patients who have walked tosurgery. A polyclinic combining local practices would be basedabout 15 km away. As we can see about 300 patients a week, thismeans an extra 150 car journeys of 30 km or more, which addsup to roughly 4500 km worth of CO₂ per week. Replicate thisaround the country, and you have a figure that would make anonsense of the government’s plans to reduce emissions.

Equally irritating is the fact that, whenever they are asked,patients express a clear preference for local surgeries staffedby familiar faces who understand their hinterland. The governmentseems . . . [Full text of this article]

Chris E Nancollas, GP

¹ Newnham Surgery, Newnham GL14 1 BE

chrisnanco@aol.com