GP leaders have set out plans for a year-long rethink of general practice in a bid to seize back the initiative from the government.
British Medical Association GP committee chair Dr John Chisholm told last week's local medical committees conference that it was time to 'take stock of what being a GP should mean in the next millennium'.
Later he told journalists that the Health Bill was 'extremely light on detail' and 'there is everything left to play for'.
The conference made clear that GPs fear the loss of their gatekeeper role as NHS Direct spreads nationwide and high street drop-in centres offer another point of access.
Delegates were also concerned at losing control as primary care groups become primary care trusts, and called for GPs to have the right to form a majority on PCT boards.
Dr Chisholm promised a consultation document seeking the views of 'every doctor working in general practice'.
The GP committee plans a big conference next spring, leading to a 'white paper', and possibly a special LMCs conference to endorse the strategy next autumn.
Dr Chisholm said the committee wanted to hear what health service managers, nurses and other healthcare professionals thought because the future of primary care was 'not just for GPs to decide'.
See news focus, pages 12-13.
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