DOCTORS who will take control of the NHS purse strings could profit from their own decisions, it is feared by critics of radical Government reforms.

The GP consortium, which will manage the NHS budget for south Worcestershire, is dominated by members of Elgar Healthcare which manages Worcester’s health centre in Farrier Street.

Members of the consortia were asked to declare their interests and a public document shows that six out of 11 of the GPs on the South Worcestershire GP Commissioning Consortium are shareholders in Elgar. In Wyre Forest, three out of four GPs were members or shareholders in Assura Wyre Forest LLP, a GP provider organisation which manages 12 practices in the area.

In the Redditch and Bromsgrove GP Commissioning Consortium, five out of seven places are taken by members and a partner in Assura Vertis LLP, a partnership between 23 GP practices.

Nationally, there is concern that GPs who decide as commissioners how NHS cash is spent could profit from their decisions if they are shareholders in private firms which provide GP services.

Neil Laurenson, of Worcester Against the Cuts, said: “It might be acceptable if dividends are paid to the practice and re-invested in patient care but if they go directly into the pockets of GPs, then that is another matter.”

There will be three consortia in Worcestershire – south Worcestershire with a budget of £286 million, Redditch and Bromsgrove with a budget of £182 million and Wyre Forest with a budget of £133 million, all for 2011/12.

Government reforms are now subject to a pause and listen exercise after mounting criticism.

Malcolm Sampson, a director at Elgar Healthcare, said: “There has been potential for conflict of interest arising. There will have to be some sort of broad guidance nationally.”

Mr Sampson said Elgar was exploring becoming a community investment company which would mean profits were ploughed back into patient care.

Dr Nigel Cockrell, chairman of Assura Wyre Forest LLP, said: “We are committed to ensuring that any ‘profits’ made by our GP members are redistributed back into patient care.”