Family doctors in England have voted to limit the number of patients they see and refuse extra work in protest of what they describe as a 'broken' funding model. The British Medical Association reported that 98.3% of the 8,500 general practitioners who voted supported the work-to-rule action, which is just short of a strike. This open-ended action is set to begin immediately.
The National Health Service, which is state-funded, assured that doctors' offices would remain open, and the impact of the action would vary across different locations. The union characterized this collective action as 'an act of desperation,' citing concerns over a new contract between doctors and the government. The contract includes a 1.9% funding increase for services in 2024-25, but many practices fear they will struggle to remain financially viable. It's important to note that doctors' practices are funded by the government but operate as independent businesses.
