A health boss has apologised after he reportedly criticised some Bradford GPs.

Dr Ian Rutter, who heads North Bradford Primary Care Trust, made the criticism at a national conference when he said the days were numbered for GPs who work on their own.

The comments have outraged Bradford doctors, including Dr Medhi Hossain, a single-handed GP who has worked at his practice in Killinghall Road, for 23 years.

"It is a despicable comment," he said. "I am outraged to say the least. Colleagues have expressed a similar view and we would call for him to resign."

Most patients in North Bradford are registered with large group practices, while in neighbouring Bradford City PCT, at least 40,000 people are registered with 24 single-handed GPs.

At the London conference Dr Rutter was reported by GPs' magazine Doctor to have said he believed the reason neighbouring trusts had been unable to improve care for patients in the way North Bradford had, was because of "crap" single-handed GPs.

But today Dr Rutter, chief executive of North Bradford Primary Care Trust, and a GP himself, apologised.

In a statement he said: "It was never my intention to criticise individual practices or my GP colleagues and I am sorry if my comments have been misunderstood or caused offence.

"My comments have been taken out of context and my presentation at the National Primary Care Collaborative Conference was intended to encourage others to adopt the approach we have taken at North Bradford Primary Care Trust in measuring the clinical outcomes of GPs so that we know they are providing a high quality service.

"National health policy now recognises both the difficulties of maintaining this sort of governance management in all GP practices and the importance for GPs of peer group support."

North Bradford PCT - providing health care for areas including Shipley, Idle, Eccleshill and Ravenscliffe - enjoys a national reputation for being at the forefront of health developments under Dr Rutter's leadership. He was awarded an OBE in January 2000 for services to medicine.

But Dr Hossain, a member of Bradford's Local Medical Committee representing GPs, and chairman of Bradford City PCT's Professional Executive Committee, said: "He is talking about highly qualified people who are providing an excellent service and our patients are very happy. They enjoy continuity of care and do not want to go to large, group practices."

He added that although their premises were smaller, they were still excellent and services provided - such as diabetes and asthma clinics - were the equal of any large practice.

His views were backed up by Dr Gyasuddin Sayed, chairman of Bradford's Small Practices Association, which represents 40 singled-handed GPs, and past president of the Bradford and Airedale branch of the British Medical Association.

"There is a shortage of doctors and such comments are discouraging," said Dr Sayed, who has a single-handed practice in Smith Lane, Bradford.

Dr Rutter was also criticised by Dr John Givans, secretary of the Bradford Local Medical Committee, the body which represents the views of GPs, who said he felt it was an attack on the professionalism of single-handed GPs. "It is disgraceful and not the sort of comment which is acceptable in my opinion," he said.

Chief executive of the Bradford City PCT, Lynette Throp, said: "There are some excellent examples of innovative practise being undertaken by single-handed general practitioners and it would be quite wrong to label GPs indiscriminately."