Just 12% of GPs back NHS shake-up, says poll The figures highlight the fresh challenges now facing the Government as it seeks to implement the reforms. Chris Ham, chief executive of the King's Fund, a health think tank, said: "GPs will be in the vanguard of this - their commitment is essential for implementing clinical commissioning, the Government's big idea for ensuring that care meets the needs of patients. The public will judge the government's stewardship of the NHS on the basis of whether patient care improves, so ministers should be concerned that many GPs fear that care will get worse rather than better in the years ahead. Dr Laurence Buckman, chairman of the British Medical Association's GP committee, said the findings came as no surprise. Increasingly, GPs are worrying that they will be blamed for making the hard decisions that may need to be made in order to meet the £20bn savings target set by the government. The government needs to be much more upfront with the public about the scale of savings that need to be made and why. If those who will have to deliver the latest health reforms are unconvinced and reluctant, the government should take notice of what they say. Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: "Of course, every important reform to the NHS, under whatever government, has had its critics from within the system. But putting GPs in leadership positions in the NHS will mean they can improve services for their entire local population. Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham said: "Most GPs are clear that the NHS is going in the wrong direction and that the government's changes will make it worse not better."