FURIOUS GPs from across the town have slammed new primary care proposals calling them ill thought out, unbalanced and dangerous'.

In a letter from Mid Mersey Local Medical Committee signed by 74 Warrington GPs and addressed to PCT chairman, John Gartside, the GPs call for the new primary care strategy to be extensively rewritten'.

The strategy, which is currently the subject of a public consultation, proposes radical changes to the way primary care is delivered in the town.

If it goes ahead, two health supermarkets would be operational by 2009 at the Garven Place site and in Orford Park.

But the majority of GPs in the town have reacted with anger to the plans describing them as a one size fits all' solution to the differing health needs of the town.

Defending the proposals, acting chief executive of Warrington PCT, Jon Tomlinson, said: "Health centres will offer all the services provided by GPs and at PCT-run clinics, plus many more.

"All GPs will be able to practise as family doctors from one of the health centres. Patients will be able to book appointments as now and if their GP is not available will either be able to book a later appointment or see another GP or health professional.

"Health and social care professionals will come to the health centres to deliver care rather than the other way round. These proposals seek to put the needs of patients first."

He added: "Rather than have lots of small practices and clinics, we will have a single point of access and contact. Family doctors will be able to provide patients with a much wider range of services and much quicker access to services than at present."

But GPs insist that the strategy is not in the best interests of the public and that the health centres will mean people travelling further to see a doctor with no guarantee of seeing the GP of their choice.

l JON Tomlinson will take part in a live web chat on our website on Thursday, March 29, from 1pm to 2pm.

E-mail your questions to sharker@guardiangrp.co.uk or send them to Sarah Harker, PCT Web chat, Warrington Guardian, The Academy, 138 Bridge Street, Warrington, WA4 1HE.

And don't forget to log onto warringtonguardian.co.uk on the day to join in.

l Public meetings to discuss the strategy will be held today, Thursday, from 6pm until 7.30pm at St Ann's Church Hall in Orford; March 26 from 3pm until 4.30pm and from 6pm until 7.30pm at Winwick Leisure Centre and March 28 from 6pm until 7.30pm at Warrington Wolves Health Centre, rooms F26 to F27.