A GP has enlisted the help of his MP in a quest to ensure bureaucracy within the health service does not affect the quality of patient care.

Dr Krishna Chaturvedi, who has a 3,200-patient surgery in Southbourne Grove, Westcliff, met Southend West MP David Amess to discuss his concerns about the issues facing the health service.

The meeting coincided with the release of the British Medical Association’s response to July’s NHS White Paper.

The paper sets out how the Government planned to give GPs control of much of the budget, while getting rid of two levels of managers.

Dr Chaturvedi said although there were a lot of good things in the White Paper, action was needed to resolve issues now.

He added: “With the primary care trust, we need to get the bureaucracy out of the way.

“We need someone to come out and say ‘sorry, we can’t wait until 2013’ [when plans will roll out], because we are seeing these problems every day.

“If you want GPs to do commissioning that’s fine, but they can’t do everything. They are struggling.”

Dr Chaturvedi said the outline plan for GPs to take control of commissioning could lead to conflicts between offering the best care and balancing budgets.

He has previously spoken out over his belief frontline health services are being cut because money is being wasted on bureaucracy.

He said his patients were suffering as services are moved from smaller surgeries to large primary care centres, like those in London Road, Leigh.

Dr Chaturvedi said: “The buildings don’t matter. It’s about the care and the patient’s expectations.

“We must care for patients as individuals.”

Mr Amess echoed many of the GP’s concerns, and told Dr Chaturvedi he was keen to help.

He added: “The NHS exists for patients. Bureaucracy should never determine patient care.

“There’s no doubt at all there must be changes, and those changes must result in a simpler system than the one we have now. That’s the bottom line.”

Russ Platt, deputy chief executive for NHS South East Essex said: “We will be working very closely with all local GPs regarding the implications of White Paper proposals, and how GPs can work closely with the PCT as they prepare to take on the commissioning role.”