Dr Brian Dunn, GPC Northern Ireland chairman, was more concerned about the threat to general practice from the five large trusts in Northern Ireland.

Speaking at the Northern Ireland LMC conference in Newcastle, County Down on Sunday, Dr Dunn said that a rare joint statement from the health ministers of three countries implied they were distancing themselves from the use of private providers as in England.

The statement was signed by Scottish health minister Nicola Sturgeon, Northern Irish minister of health Michael McGimpsey and Welsh minister for health and social services Edwina Hart.

‘All three ministers are implying they are not in favour of a privatisation agenda. Our government certainly does not have a privatisation agenda, and none of the three political parties are promoting it,' Dr Dunn said.

The statement says ‘inter-governmental co-operation' will ensure the NHS remains ‘a public service of which our citizens can be proud'.

Northern Ireland GPC was congratulated by LMC members for negotiating a more favourable agreement with their assembly government.

tom.ireland@haymarket.com

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