THE Government's plans for so-called polyclinics, including one in Scarborough, will come under scrutiny at North Yorkshire County Council's Scrutiny of Health Committee tomorrow.
The NHS is proposing to establish the polyclinics or "super surgeries" in different parts of the country.
Jane Marshall, director of commissioning at the North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust and Scarborough GP Dougy Moederle-Lumb, joint ch
ief executive of the YOR Local Medical Committee, which represents GPs in North Yorkshire, will provide the meeting with information and their perspectives on polyclinics.
A spokesman for the county council said: "The PCT is currently engaging with patients and the public before any final decision is taken."
The committee has long been a strong supporter of maximising clinical and medical services at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton and Scarborough District General Hospital.
Cllr John Blackie, chairman of the committee said: "We need to hear the views of the key players first before we draw our own conclusions. If they are to go ahead in North Yorkshire there needs to be a meaningful engagement process with patients."
He added: "Deeply rural areas and towns like Scarbor-ough depend on access to core healthcare services like A&E and maternity at their local hospitals due to the distance and time involved in getting to the next nearest hospital. Any threat to these services will be taken very seriously indeed by the Scrutiny of Health Committee."
The full article contains 244 words and appears in Scarborough Evening News newspaper.
