Commenting on Lord Darzi’s five NHS pledges that were published today [Friday], Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said:

"These pledges are nothing more than vacuous spin.

"This document talks about change being locally led, yet the Government has already ordered all Primary Care Trusts to open a polyclinic, regardless of any local need for one.

"No amount of desperate dressing-up can conceal the fact that the forthcoming Darzi report is set to ride roughshod over the wishes and needs of many local areas."