The controversy over NHS reforms looks set to simmer on with little risk of bubbling dry.

And today’s revelation over the costs involved in setting up the reforms will do little to heal wounds.

Though let us clarify that it is not the health care professionals themselves who are to blame, but the bureacratic system which, for decades now, has haunted the wards and operating theatres of every NHS hospital and surgery across the land.

Freedom of Information requests submitted to NHS primary care trusts – which are due to be dismantled in 2013 – now show just how many GPs are involved in setting up the new Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG), how much time each is spending implementing the new system rather than treating patients, and the cost to the NHS of them being redirected into managerial tasks.

Not surprisingly, it makes for sober reading.

In all, NHS Oxfordshire says it has spent £654,000 covering for eight local doctors, including one acting as the CCG’s chief executive.

It says: “In order to take on responsibility for clinical commissioning, some of the GPs involved have given up clinical sessions (time spent in their practices seeing patients).”

Which in short means locums have to be hired. You don’t have to be an accountant to see that somehow, this level of reasoning just don’t add up.