GPs should have responsibility for much of England's NHS budget, proposals being put forward on Monday will suggest.

Ministers want doctors to club together in consortia to take charge of billions of pounds of funds for mental health, hospital and community services.

It would represent a major change but they believe GPs are better placed than managers to respond to patient need.

But some experts question whether GPs have the skills to take it on.

‘Empower’ doctors

The NHS budget stands at £105bn. About 80% of this is given to local health managers working for 152 primary care trusts which in turn commission services for their areas.

But the White Paper, which will be published later, is expected to call for much of this to be handed to GPs working together in formal partnerships in what would be a major shake-up of the NHS structure.

The White Paper is also expected to make reference to the creation of an independent NHS board to oversee health services.

Prof Chris Ham, chief executive of the King's Fund health think tank, said the proposals were part of the "biggest organisational upheaval in the health service, probably, since its inception".

He said giving GPs additional responsibilities was a "good idea", although there were possible pitfalls.

Prof Ham said: "GPs know their patients and their needs very well. They are, therefore, well positioned to take decisions on the use of resources and improve patient care and patient outcomes.

"The risk is that not all GPs have the motivation to do so – many don't have the skills either – and to implement this across the whole of England, without some degree of testing and piloting, could be a risky thing for the government to do."

The GP move has long been championed by Health Secretary Andrew Lansley – and in recent months the British Medical Association has indicated it is open to working with the government on the idea.

Speaking to the BBC on Sunday, Mr Lansley said the proposals would "empower" doctors and tackle the "frustrating" bureaucracy which plagued the health service.

"We have got to design services better and save money. GPs are best placed to do this."

But some experts have expressed concerns about the idea.

A report by the Civitas think tank said there was little evidence that GPs would be better than the current system and even warned the restructuring could set the NHS back by three years.

Are you a GP? Do you work in the medical profession? What is your response to the proposals?