A SENIOR York GP says he is worried about the impact on services as the NHS undergoes a major reorganisation this summer – when it is already under the greatest pressure he has witnessed in 20 years in practice.

Professor Mike Holmes, of Nimbuscare, says he is not against change but questions the timing of the imminent wholesale re-structuring.

He says it comes just as the spring vaccine booster campaign is under way, rates of Covid infection are rising, hospitals have large numbers of inpatients with Covid and there is more sickness in health and social care than at anytime during the pandemic, and also as staff ready themselves to care for those displaced by the war in Ukraine.

Writing in his weekly column for The Press, he says 'Integrated Care Systems' are to become responsible for commissioning and coordinating care over large areas - in York's case the area will be North Yorkshire, East Riding, Hull, North and North East Lincolnshire.

"However within that there will be ‘Places’ that oversee some elements of care locally," he writes. "City of York will be one of those places."

He says the Act of Parliament that will provide the legislation for this is likely to be approved in the next few weeks and he expects the new structures to take effect from July.

He says much work is going on in the background and there will of course be a transitional period.

"I am worried about this transition and what it might mean for us and the services we deliver in the city, particularly as we are under the greatest amount of pressure that I have witnessed in my 20 years in practice," he says.

However, he says there is one thing that gives him some confidence -the people involved in this locally and their commitment to delivering care.

He writes:"It has been a privilege to work hand in glove with all health, social and voluntary care providers during the pandemic – those on the front line in all sectors, the administrative and management teams and those in leadership roles.

"The pandemic has demonstrated that we are all here to do the same thing – provide care and support when needed for our population.

"If we can remember that ethos, value working together and put the needs of the population first then we can get through this; we can deal with changing structures, limited resources and a workforce that is tired and depleted."

Meanwhile, Prof Holmes also speaks out on the war in Ukraine amid growing outrage over Russian atrocities.

Evidence apparently showing Vladimir Putin’s soldiers deliberately killing civilians has been emerging as he withdraws his struggling troops from around the capital Kyiv, including from the city of Bucha.

Prof Holmes says: "There are terrible accounts of human suffering being reported on all forms of media.

"As both a human being and a health care professional I struggle to comprehend a mindset that allows this to happen but of course feel powerless to stop it. We ready ourselves to care for those displaced by the war and hope that their passage to the UK is not slowed by bureaucracy."

*Today's column is on page 12.