David Ruffley has today voiced his opposition to Government plans to replace local GPs' surgeries with impersonal super-surgeries known as 'polyclinics'.

It has been estimated that 1,700 family doctor surgeries could be closed down across England. Across the Suffolk PCT area 4 local GPs surgeries could make way for 'polyclinics'.

Polyclinics are little different from a small hospital, and nothing like the independent, local GP practice with just a few doctors that patients know and trust. Government Ministers are planning to end the era of local GP surgeries in almost every area.

David said:

'Our local GPs' surgeries are at the heart of our community in Suffolk. There are many vulnerable individuals who have built up a substantial level of trust with their GP and these new 'polyclinics' will make that much more difficult to achieve.

'The closure of 4 GP surgeries in Suffolk will mean that patients will have to travel further to receive treatment, which will particularly disadvantage the elderly and families with small children.

'This Government is developing a track record for eroding the lifeblood of local communities- first the Post Offices are targeted and now local GPs are in the firing line. It must stop and it must stop now; the people of Suffolk do not want polyclinics forced on them by a Prime Minister who is staggeringly out of touch with public opinion.'