CONTROVERSIAL changes to GP cover at community hospitals should stay in place while a review is carried out, a health boss insisted.

Richard Mills rebuffed a call for the return of the old system where several practices made the ward rounds at hospitals in Marlow, Chalfont St Peter, Thame and Buckingham hospitals.

One practice took over cover for the four hospitals on September 1 – but GPs who lost the deal said they would do fewer hours and would not know patients.

Yesterday a Thame GP handed over a 3,852 word petition opposing the change.

Dr Duncan Keeley said the old system should return after pressure led the PCT to announce a review of the changes (see links, bottom of story).

But Mr Mills, director of system reform at Buckinghamshire NHS Primary Care Trust, said: “The current status quo should prevail whilst this review is underway.

“Otherwise it will not be possible to compare the performance and impact of the current contract with the previous contract.”

And he said he disagreed with the view of an NHS watchdog committee at Buckinghamshire County Council that it was a “substantial change”.

He added: “We have already had very considerable number of written and verbal representations, all of which will be made available to the review panel.”

And he clashed with another Thame GP after being challenged over allegations of bed cuts at Thame since the changes were brought in.

Mr Mills said: “The number of beds in each community hospital is being managed by [the PCT] to be safely provided within the staffing levels available.

“There are recruitment difficulties in a number of the community hospitals and the number of beds does go up and down.”

Yet Dr Richard Harrington said the beds did not previously “fluctuate on a regular basis” under the old contract.

And he warned doctors would only have 48 minutes a day to see patients. The PCT has said nurses provide most care and it was not clear what GPs did under the old contract.

The exchanges came at yesterday’s meeting of the PCT board.

Thame resident Michael Doyle said: “It almost reeks of being rude. The way you have made your decision about staffing that hospital left local residents out.

“I hope it doesn’t happen again.”