REMARKABLE GAP BETWEEN GOVERNMENT'S RHETORIC AND ITS OBSESSION TO IMPOSE MODELS OF CARE - LAMB

9.15.55am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 4th Mar 2008

Commenting on Lord Darzi's proposals to create so-called polyclinics, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "There is a remarkable gap between the Government's rhetoric on local decision making and its obsession on imposing models of care from the centre.

"Polyclinics might be a solution for some communities, but particularly in rural areas access to a doctor could become a nightmare.

"As long as the Government continues to impose its one-size-fits-all policies on local communities, patients will be denied the access to a high standard of healthcare they are entitled to."