GPs have been forced to take industrial action

‘GP practices have been struggling for years under budgetary and other constraints, and receive a lot of public criticism for things that are outside their control.’ Photograph: BrianAJackson/Getty Images

While I understand the concern about GPs capping appointments to 25 patients a day (English hospitals brace for ‘alarming’ disruption as GPs take industrial action, 2 August) NHS chief executive colleagues must appreciate that the entire NHS should not collapse if GPs demand to see what is a safe and reasonable number of patients. Primary care can no longer prop up the rest of the NHS – we are at breaking point.

There needs to be wider recognition of the psychological toll of a GP’s work: 10 minutes to care for a suicidal adolescent, break a cancer diagnosis or support a palliative patient in their final moments. We cannot underestimate the moral injury experienced by GPs from seeing human anguish and distress worsened by a failing system.