AN NHS expert has warned that the Government's plans for the biggest health shake-up in recent memory will render NHS staff "virtually extinct".

Dr John Lister's bleak prediction of what health secretary Andrew Lansley's White Paper will lead to has, however, been rebutted by GPs in Croydon.

The Government is proposing to give GPs £80 billion a year of the NHS budget to buy care from hospitals and other doctors for patients in their area.

For Croydon this means the gradual phasing out of its primary care trust (NHS Croydon) – which is in charge of the overall management and funding of health services – by 2013.

Dr Lister, director of the London Health Emergency watchdog, said: "This will establish even more private providers making profit from the public purse, while NHS staff could become a virtually extinct species.

"Any GPs who really believe they can deliver improved care for their patients in this type of competitive market are kidding themselves."

However, Dr Shiba Hameed, of Heathfield Surgery, in South Croydon, believes the suggestion GPs cannot decide how to finance treatments is "insulting".

She said: "I think the proposals are excellent.

"I have real difficulty treating my patients because of the overwhelming amount of red tape.

"I've been a GP since 2002 and today if I want to refer a patient to hospital I have to go through a triage nurse who will question me.

"A doctor shouldn't be justifying themselves to a nurse who has the power to deny treatment."

Dr Hameed expressed her frustration at "distracting" bureaucracy.

She added: "Every time I advise a patient on healthy living I need to log it on a computer.

"Instead of focusing on my job I am constantly worrying about clicking buttons."

Dr Fiyaz Lebbe, of Parkway Health Centre and Headley Drive surgery, both in New Addington, gave a more cautious welcome to the Health White Paper.

He said: "It's a double-edged sword because some GPs would be excellent at managing a budget but others may not be.

"But overall I am pleased with the proposals to invest more decision making in GPs.

"There is too much management which is not in the patients' interests.

"These days, GPs follow protocol rather than have a medical input. It is high time people put more faith in our ability to decide what treatment is best."

The White Paper aims to cut management costs by almost a half and GPs could sub-contract work to private companies.

GPs will also be responsible for commissioning out-of-hours services which could involve more weekend appointments – and possibly an increase in the number of out-of-hours GPs.

In Croydon there are just three out-of-hours GPs serving more than 350,000 residents.

An NHS Croydon spokesman would not be drawn on the possible job losses or impact on the borough's primary care trust.

She said the White Paper would "build on the work already done to support GPs to become commissioners" such as the new dermatology service "provided from five locations across the borough by a number of GPs with special interest in dermatology".

She added: "We have a history of strong partnership with Croydon Council and local GPs and we will build on these to develop future commissioning arrangements."