We had these so called 'polyclinics' once before, they were called cottage hospitals then, run by nurses with doctors from local surgeries calling in. That was 50 years ago and I believe it was a Labour Government that closed them.

Paul, Rochester, UK

should butchers replace surgeons perhaps?

peter c, Devizes, Wessex

Honestly I don't know where we are going with these NHS reforms. What on earth is it for ? What will we get out of it ? What about all those unemployed junior doctors (18,000 of them) ? What about what the staff in the NHS think ? Why can't the government just make petrol cheaper instead ?

RR Welbury, York, UK

Classroom asistant in charge of classes, Community officers policing the streets, nurses in charge of Doctors surgeries, well its better than having clerks in charge of hospitals.

Dave, Derby, England

Can we relace Alan Johnson with a nurse ? That would be much better for patients, doctors, nurses, students etc. We could even pay nurses a bit more - they even work in a miserable environment now thanks to all these "reforms" and "changes".

M M Christie, York, UK

Does anyone think that a nurse who can qualify in 3 years can have anywhere near the amount of knowledge as a GP who requires almost 10 years to train??? Remember saving money wont necessarily save lives or improve care. Pay peanuts and you will get monkeys

JS Bains, Southall, UK

Isn't it time that we replaced Ministers, even the Prime Minister, with a more appropriate organization which is given the power to opt-out of any process of election and accountability, but yet whose members would preserve the right to ministerial pensions? Bye Lord Darzi and Alan Johnson et al....

Henryk Nowicki, Choppington, England

David, upon which figures do you base your analysis of PHC doctor salaries, as far as I am aware the only EU countries with similar provision to the UK are Ireland and Denmark? Jon has a very valid point: keep treating our doctors with this level of disdain and see their good faith towards us go!

peter johnstone, Hull, UK

Strikes me that this is simply driven by the fact that Nurses are cheaper then Doctors. Everything this cheapskate government does at the moment is driven by the fact that they have spent themselves into a hole and know that the country is virtually bankrupt.

Graeme, Warrington, UK

David
Sadly you have been mislead, the government included expenses (ie staff salaries, premises etc) as income, leading to an apparantly massive increase in pay, but an actual and very real reduction in take home!

Andy Bracegirdle, Manchester, UK

This is getting more and more ridiculous. Will somebody ask the patient as whether he wants surgery conducted by a Nurse or a doctor ? What happens to somebody training as a doctor.....everyone could now train as Nurses and few courses!!...as that is all that is required to treat and prescribe now !

S J P, Sheffield, UK

what happens if a nurse dosent pick up a rare condition or reaction that kills a patient and then blames it on lack of medical training? !!
will they be charged for manslaughter or will it be criminal negligence?

Andrew, london, uk

I agree that the government needs to break the overweening power of the medical profession and change the focus from self oriented decision making to patient and outcome focused decision making...but they need to ensure that enough nurses actually nurse ie help the patient feed and keep clean!

David Cartright, Birmingham,

Jon, as a GP you have had massive pay rises elevating you, with little improvement in working practices, to far and away the most highly paid in Europe. And with your total monopoly power and threatening hold over the government and the public you are now wanting even more pay from the tax payer??

David Cartright, Birmingham,

Doing surgery. What. Cutting off arms and legs?
You have a lousy health care system. I never would want to be
in a position where I needed health care in the UK.

Jerry Scroggin, Phoenix, Arizona/USA

Fantastic idea. As a GP I can't wait till the DOH totally mess up primary care and the private sector move in. Thats when I get paid what I am really worth as a professional rather than what a monopoly employer like the NHS dictates. God bless New Labour.

jon, London,

Will nurses be paid more by any chance for taking on these extra duties?

Stephen, St. Ives, England