BRIDGWATER doctors who launched a campaign against Government health reforms they fear could lead to the privatisation of the NHS have seen 70 of Somerset's 76 GP surgeries sign up to their cause.

The county's GPs are uniting behind East Quay Medical Centre to fight Government plans which they say threaten family doctor services, and place the future of patient care in jeopardy.

The GPs want the government to rethink its plans to set up large new style practices (polyclinics) under contracts likely to attract corporate organisations with a focus on profit.

The doctors say this is the first step towards privatising general practice, and they want members of the public to write to the Government to demand a re-think on the imposition of a policy that could spell the end for many GP practices.

Hundreds of East Quay patients have already written to the Somerset PCT and government, protesting about the new measures.

East Quay partner doctor Sue Roberts said: "The Government is enforcing a one-size fits all policy of change, but what is appropriate in a large city isn't necessarily the best solution for all areas of the country, or for more rural counties such as ours.

"More worryingly for patients, no-one can know where these new polyclinics may be located, or how accessible they might be to someone without transport, and who may by then have lost' their local surgery."

The doctors also argue that increased use of out-of-hours' services and walk-in centres such as those being planned are known to lead to fragmented patient care, and an overall lowering of standards.

Doctor Roberts concluded: "It is vital that Somerset patients to make their views heard. We would urge people to write to government because in our view, these reforms will lead to a reduction in the continuity and the quality of care."