The government has welcomed plans to extend the democratisation of the NHS into primary care.

With the introduction of the new GMS GP contract, on April 1 2004, the legal responsibility to maintain out-of-ours cover will be transferred away from General Practices to Primary Care Trusts.

John Hutton, minister of state for health, said: "The introduction of foundation hospitals has been a huge step forward, making the first momentous break from direct state control and opting for community ownership based on modern principles of mutuality.

"There is the chance now to do the same in a key part of the provision of primary care services, and to retain the best of what has been learned from GP co-operatives."

Forum Response: Mutuo

Peter Hunt, director of Mutuo, said: "We have argued that the principles of community ownership should be extended across the NHS, and welcome the government's intention to broaden its reforms to include Primary Care - where relationships between health professionals and the community are often strongest - as well as hospitals."