Resist "doctor-bashing" critics, GPs urged

LONDON, Jan 30 (Reuters) A senior doctor has written to all GPs in Britain urging them to fight back against a ''constant barrage'' of unjustified and malicious criticism of them, the British Medical Association said today.

''We are experiencing an unprecedented volume of misinformation, half-truths and politically inspired doctor-bashing,'' said Hamish Meldrum, chairman of the BMA's General Practitioners Committee.

Earlier this month, Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt sparked a furious row with GPs when she said family doctors were earning too much after the introduction of a new performance-related pay contract left them on an average of 106,000 pounds a year.

Relations between the government and family doctors have hit a low with talks over next year's pay contract, due to start in April, stalled over the size of the inflation rise on offer after a zero rise last year.

Family doctors are also pursuing a judicial review over government plans to cap elements of their pensions.

Doctors say the rise in GP pay has been exaggerated and that family doctors will probably earn less this year because of rising costs.

The row comes as some local health authorities have been postponing non-urgent hospital treatments until the start of the new financial year to balance their books.

''The government may feel that by blaming GPs they will divert attention from where the real blame lies. They couldn't be more mistaken,'' Meldrum said in his letter, sent to more than 42,000 family doctors.

''They need a confident, cooperative general practice more than ever if they are to have some chance of getting the NHS out of its present shambles, and their persistent denigration of GPs and their value is completely counter-productive.'' He urged GPs to contact local media and politicians to promote their work and ''put them in possession of the real facts.'' ''UK general practice is still highly cost effective, demonstrates high quality, delivers a much more comprehensive service than most of our European counterparts and, crucially, continues to protect the NHS from more expensive secondary care,'' he said.

Reuters DH VP0628