POLYCLINCS' are the big idea from the new health minister, weeks after Warrington ditched proposals for the health supermarkets amid massive protests.

Sir Ara Darzi said last week that he sees the clinics as the future of health care in London and as a way of halving the number of people needing hospital care.

His scheme is for 150 clinics across the capital with a mix of facilities including ultrasound and X-ray machines.

The proposals for similar clinics in Warrington, also known as super surgeries', were withdrawn by the Primary Care Trust, after fears it could harm the relationship between doctors and patients.

MP Helen Jones said at the time the clinics did not represent Government policy.

The study that announced the idea was carried out independently but Prime Minister Gordon Brown was fully briefed on his findings before promoting him to a top job at the Department of Health, said the national Guardian.

Mrs Jones told the Warrington Guardian this week: "I have made it clear that I oppose them in Warrington, as did most people in the town, because they were not the right way to improve health care here.

"People living elsewhere must decide what is right for them. London is a very different place."

Warrington PCT is considering its plans after the rejection of its own polyclinic scheme.

A spokesman for the PCT said: "While it is crucially important for Warrington PCT to be aware of national policy and guidelines, our approach going forward is also to fully engage with both a broad range of local clinicians and the public in the development of our health strategy for Warrington."

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