According to a recent British Medical Association (BMA) survey, doctors are not certain about the benefits of the government’s NHS reform plans in England, outweighing the risks.

The January survey of 1,645 BMA members, reveals a wide range of views, however, most of the doctors agree increased competition in the NHS would only fragment services (89% agree), while reducing the quality of patient care (65% agree).

Two-thirds of those responding to the survey indicated the proposed system of clinician led commissioning would only help in increasing health inequalities.

A majority of nine in ten though the reforms would result in increased competition between providers, while only 21% believed the overall quality of NHS care would be improved.

Two-thirds (67%) were of the opinion, if general practice and hospitals worked together, it would improve the overall quality of patient care, however, only half of that number were confident the reforms would be able to do so.

Three fifths of doctors (61%) responding on how the reforms would impact their roles, believed the reforms were likely to lead to their spending less time with patients, a change welcomed by only 1%.

The survey suggests a third of the doctors (33%) are broadly opposed to their personal role in relation to the proposed reforms, a fifth (18%) are broadly supportive, while over a third (36%) are waiting to see what happens.