ANGRY doctors confronted health bosses over plans to send NHS operations to a private firm.

They said the move risked breaking key links between patients and NHS doctors.

And an NHS boss said she agreed and had "real problems" with how the plans will work.

The first public meeting on the plans, which have been decided on by central Government, took place at Clitheroe Health Centre, Railway View Road.

Under the five-year Clinical Assessment, Treatment and Support (CATS) scheme patients will be sent to facilities run by South African firm Netcare for initial assessment and tests and then sent to hospital if needed.

Usually these appointments and tests are carried out at NHS hospitals by the same doctors who later perform the operation.

Dr Ann Huson, one of the health centre's GPs said: "I don't think you can expect any clinician to see somebody on a trolley waiting for an anaesthetic if that is their first encounter with them."

Cath Galaska, director of strategic commissioning at East Lancashire NHS Primary Care Trust, which hosted the meeting, said: "I agree. I have real problems with this. I think there are clinical issues that need to be worked through."

And she added: "Putting my manager's hat on my fear also is that we are just going to be duplicating things. You can do things within a CATS service and then they go to hospital and the consultant will want to be satisfied that they are treating the patient appropriately."

Dr Tim Golding, of Whalley Surgery, Clitheroe, said: "Consultants feel a responsibility for their patients but if there are too many other people involved they will no longer have that responsibility and it will lead to a lower quality of care in the long-term."

The Government said Netcare needs to be brought in to help the NHS hit a key target, to get all patients treated within 18 weeks by the end of next year.

The Lancashire Telegraph revealed this week that the four top consultants at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust raised had written to GPs expressing fears over the plans.

They said three specialties - ENT, urology and gynaecology - faced ruin at NHS hospitals if the work was done by Netcare.

l The next meeting takes place on Tuesday at Silverman Hall, Nelson between 7pm and 9pm.