Petition calls on CCG to back family doctors

Pressure group Stockport NHS Watch handed over the petition on Wednesday at a meeting of NHS Stockport Clinical Commissioning Group’s (CCG) governing body.

It asks the CCG to back family doctors by refusing to put services like 24-hour blood pressure testing out to open competition, after CCGs were warned that competition regulations mean that they are legally obliged to review some of the services offered by GPs.

Stockport CCG said it has yet to make a decision over any of the services currently provided by local surgeries.

Jane Crombleholme, chair of Stockport CCG, said: “We are delighted to accept this petition which is a welcome and overwhelming vote of confidence in the borough’s GPs.

“In an increasingly challenging climate for the NHS, it is encouraging to see that the excellent service being provided by Stockport’s GPs has not gone unnoticed.

“We’d like to take this opportunity to thank Stockport NHS Watch for their support and to re-iterate their stance that our GPs are dedicated professionals committed to putting their patients’ interests first.”