BURNLEY family doctors are being asked how they see the future of their job in the National Health Service.

Burnley MP Peter Pike has written to all general practitioners in his constituency to ask for their views.

He will then pass them on to a Labour policy forum, which aims at setting out a blueprint for primary care under a Tony Blair government.

He wants all GPs to have a say in shaping local hospital services and to have equal access to them.

He wants to give them the opportunity to develop new services and to have a choice of which hospital they send their patients to.

And he pledged an end to the decisive fund-holding system.

Mr Pike said: "The GPs are providing vital healthcare. They are in touch with their patients and they know what is going on.

"But the Tory Government never listens to them and tramples over their views. I want to hear what GPs are saying about how they are improving their services, about the problems they are facing and about how GP care should be developed."

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