It's a time of change for GPs in Islington. (Islington Liberal Democrats)

Islington Liberal Democrats <Islington_ld@cix.co.uk>

It's a time of change for GPs in Islington.

January 28, 2004 12:00 AM

As I write, the snow has hit Islington! Council gritters were out at 4am on Wednesday, and so far the borough seems to be coping well. But no doubt there will be some extra patients for local doctors, with coughs and colds, even if we have escaped worse. It's a time of change for GPs in Islington. The Lib Dem council is working in partnership with the local health service to improve facilities for doctors and patients. There are now at least 8 new health centres planned for Islington, with modern equipment and disabled access. The latest has just opened in Amwell Street, and there are more to come, including Bingfield and Laycock Street. The Laycock Street clinic is planned to replace the old St Paul's Street practice. I was a patient there for many years when I lived in Highbury. The doctors are great, but the building is dreadful, so the new facilities will be very welcome. But buildings are not enough, when we lack the doctors to staff them. Shocking figures published this month show that the number of GP vacancies in Islington and the rest of London have more than trebled in the last four years. And Islington and the rest of North East of London have been hit hardest with a rise of more than 470%. In 2000 there were 18 GP vacancies in North East London and this leapt to 104 vacancies in 2003. This staggering increase in GP vacancies in Islington and across the whole of London is very worrying. Many residents will have even more trouble getting treatment and registering with GPs as a result. The Labour Government must make more of an effort to attract qualified health staff into London and invest more in doctor training. It's a tragedy that this week's vote to introduce top-up fees is likely to have the opposite effect. Students will now face higher fees if they study popular or expensive courses - like medicine. Labour's plans could see student debt in London could top £1.6bn each year by 2010 if the Higher Education Bill is not overturned, burdening some students, discouraging others altogether. New doctors are less and less likely to choose high-cost, high-pressure Islington when there are other places to work while they pay off their debts. I am appalled that Islington South MP Chris Smith abandoned not only Labour's manifesto promise but also his own personal stand against top-up fees - he was one of the five MPs who gave this disgraceful Bill its majority. Unlike Labour, Liberal Democrats are united in rejecting these proposals. Higher education benefits us all by training our doctors, teachers and scientists. It should be funded from income tax, so those who do well in one generation can support opportunity for the next. Remember - even though the government won the vote this week, top-up fees can still be stopped if enough people in places like Islington vote Labour MPs out and Liberal Democrat MPs in at the next election.