Figures from 103 CCGs to have boards in place show that only 11 currently include a secondary care doctor.

The government has ordered that when CCGs are set up as statutory bodies, every one must have a consultant on their board, but stipulated they must be from outside local health providers to alleviate potential conflicts of interest.

But GP commissioning leaders have attacked the policy and confronted health secretary Andrew Lansley to express scepticism at the plans, which also required CCGs to appoint at least one nurse and two lay members to their boards. More