The president of the Royal College of Surgeons today warns that government plans to farm out the aftercare of surgical patients to GPs are potentially unsafe.

Bernard Ribeiro, who still practises as a general surgeon, says in a letter to the Guardian that the proposal is a cost-cutting measure that puts patients at risk. The government wants to free up surgeons by requiring GPs to see patients for the follow-up checks now carried out by the surgeon responsible for the operation.

Mr Ribeiro says GPs are too busy and would have neither the skills nor adequate knowledge of the case. "There is neither the expertise nor the capacity to deal with this. It appears to be attempting to move this work from surgeons trained in managing these cases to GPs."

Basildon and Thurrock University hospital, Essex, where Mr Ribeiro practises, has for the last three months invited GPs to take back the patient after surgery. Only 24 patients out of thousands went back to their GP rather than the surgeon's outpatient clinic. Most GPs did not appear inclined to take on the extra cases. "I don't believe there are enough GPs with enough free time to sit around giving these patients advice," said Mr Ribeiro.

Mr Ribeiro is sceptical about government claims that the measure would free up surgeons to carry out more operations. Surgeons would still have to hold outpatient clinics, and since consultations with new patients take longer than follow-ups, the increase in surgery would not be great. He also questions whether there will be enough theatre capacity and staff for more operations.

Safety is the biggest issue, he says. There is no obvious way in which the care of the patient will be improved if he or she is seen by a GP. "If I'm treating a patient, I want to be in a position to say to the patient your treatment is complete," he said.

He felt the measure had little to do with quality of care and was perhaps prompted by government commitment to meeting its waiting time targets for patients by increasing the number of operations.

The proposal has been recommended by David Colin-Thome, the national clinical director for primary care, whose report on services will be published in January. Dr Colin-Thome says most patients concerned about their recovery already see their GP within two weeks of surgery, rather than waiting six weeks to raise the problem with a consultant.

"The system needs a rethink," he said. "We waste consultants' precious time and expertise if we force them to spend hours simply telling patients they're recovering fine ... It is like asking a Michelin-star chef to cook microwave meals all day."

"Patients don't need specialists to tell them they are fighting fit. Most will know this themselves, and those who want extra advice would get this from their GP."