Concern over health visitor plans

Some GPs in Glasgow have been asking patients for their support

The British Medical Association (BMA) has criticised plans to move health visitors out of GP attachments and into social work teams.

The Scottish General Practitioners Committee said the move by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (GGC) would break up teams which had served patients well.

It also said there had been a lack of appropriate consultation over the move.

NHS GGC said it had "agreed a pause" in the plans and would seek to reach agreement with GPs and trades unions.

Dr Dean Marshall, chairman of the BMA's Scottish General Practitioners Committee, said the proposed change would have a "detrimental effect" on patients.

"This would break up a well-established team which sees GPs, health visitors and district nurses all working well together," he said.

We have agreed a pause in the development of implementation planning to jointly review areas of concerns and aim to reach agreement NHS GGC statement

"The new plan would be a much looser arrangement and wouldn't deliver the current standard of service."

Some GP surgeries in Glasgow have put up posters which outline their opposition to the health board proposal.

They also ask patients to sign a petition to show their support.

But the health board said it would not be making any changes which would adversely affect patients.

In a statement, it said: "We remain committed to ensuring that we make best use of health visitor skills with a stronger and improved focus on the most vulnerable children and families.

"The NHS board is also committed to achieving closer relationships between health visitors, other health professionals and social workers, whilst retaining and building on the existing effective links with GPs.

"In order to work with GPs and trade unions to try to address their issues with the health visitor review we have agreed a pause in the development of implementation planning to jointly review areas of concerns and aim to reach agreement.

"We will not be changing the current arrangements until this joint process is concluded over the next few weeks and we are aiming for full implementation by April 2009."