A GOVERNMENT minister visited a hospital to publicise new proposals to shake up the NHS.

Minister of state for NHS delivery Lord Warner of Brockley spoke about plans to shift services from hospitals into the community while at the minor injuries unit, Beckenham Hospital, Croydon Road, Beckenham.

As part of these plans GP surgeries could be opened in convenient locations such as train stations and even supermarkets.

Plans also include introducing health MoTs to give patients the option of having a health check to see if they are at risk of developing conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.

A spokesman for the Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust said: "This minor injuries unit and the redevelopment of the Beckenham Hospital site are excellent examples of what we are launching today.

"The unit provides emergency care at settings outside the hospital environment which is more convenient for local people."

The plans were published in Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt's white paper, titled Our Health, Our Care, Our Say: A New Direction in Community Services.