Calling for the health bill to be scrapped Dr Clare Gerada, RCGP chairman, said “We cannot sit back. Instead, we must once again raise our concerns in the hope that the prime minister will halt this damaging, unnecessary and expensive reorganisation which, in our view, risks leaving the poorest and most vulnerable in society to bear the brunt."

The government has already tried to dismiss similar calls by the British Medical Association, Royal College of Nursing and Royal College of Midwives.

Concerns from these previous bodies, all three of these are unions, prompted the government to suggest they were motivated by the dispute over pay and pensions – however the RCGP is part of the professional arm of the health service which sets standards.

The significance of the RCGP’s call for the bill to be scrapped because GPs are widely thought of as one of the main beneficiaries of the reforms, as they are supposed to get more control over how NHS funds are spent.

It is highly expected now that the entire medical royal college community will come out en masse to oppose the plans.

In March, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley is to face a hearing where the Information Commissioner will seek to force the Minister to release a secret government report on the risks of the NHS reforms.