This year, the NHS is celebrating its 60th birthday. For 60 years local GP surgeries have been providing the personalised care that you and your family need close to home by people who know you and your health.

But we are very worried that new Government plans to change the way in which GP services are provided will put at risk the comprehensive, high-quality patient care that your local surgery provides.

Introduction of more commercial companies
Most NHS GP practices are independently run by local GPs on behalf of their patients. However, the Government is now encouraging commercial companies to run GP surgeries. These companies are accountable firstly to shareholders not patients. Commercial companies are likely to be offered short-term contracts. This could lead to a higher turnover of doctors who may not know you and your long-term health needs. This is bad for patients.

The Government plans to introduce up to 250 large new health centres - often called polyclinics - across England instead of funding extra services in local surgeries. Polyclinics are very expensive to develop and run and there is no evidence they are needed in many areas.

These health centres may contain up to 25 GPs, and we are worried that patients may lose the personal relationship they usually have with their current family doctor.

As a result of these changes we are concerned that many local surgeries may not survive. We believe NHS funds would be better spent on expanding the high-quality services at your own local GP surgery.