The health scrutiny committee for Hertfordshire says polyclinics are 'not the best use of scarce NHS resources' while GPs are worried they will undermine their work.

The revolt against the polyclinic has steadily grown since it was announced one was destined for Hemel Hempstead.

The clinic, offering GP services for 12 hours a day and seven days a week, will run alongside the urgent care centre that will replace A&E next year.

A second is planned for Welwyn Garden City.

Critics claim the clinic will take work from existing GP practices and offer a less personal service.

Scrutiny committee chairman Bernard Lloyd says in the letter to health minister Alan Johnson that fellow members 'asked me to write to you expressing our concerns about the way in which the requirement to set up health centres has been applied to Hertfordshire'.

"Doctors representing GP practices in the localities of these two health centres are concerned the facility for patients to register with these centres will not only undermine the work they are doing to provide the best possible service to their communities, including extended opening hours, but could also have a serious impact on their viability," he says.

"In view of the above information we find it difficult to understand why there is an insistence to establish these two health centres.

"The extra funding could be better used to encourage a greater geographical spread of GP practices in Herts to offer more flexible opening hours."

Tring GP Tony Hall-Jones said family doctors were opening longer hours and there was enough capacity in the system to take more patients.

"The two main pillars for the introduction of these polyclinics have been removed," he said.