GPs have voted in favour of industrial action over a lack of funding, raising fears of severe disruption to NHS care that could last months.
It’s the first time in more than 60 years that family doctors in England have voted for collective action.
Family doctors in the British Medical Association (BMA) voted overwhelmingly in favour of collective action in a ballot of 8,500 members, with 98.3 per cent backing action.
Doctors have been told they can “pick and choose” from measures including a limit on the number of patients they see to 25 a day, which could force patients to use A&E or 111. The BMA says that GPs have an average of 37 patient contacts per day.
Other actions may include refusing to share patient data unless it’s in the best interests of a patient, referring patients directly to specialist care rather than following longer and more complex NHS processes and switching off NHS software which tries to cut prescribing costs.
GPs will be able to take whichever actions they choose from Thursday, without giving their patients any notice.
The BMA have said that any measures taken could remain in place until the Government agrees a new contract with GPs.
Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer, chair of BMA's GP committee for England (GPCE), said: “We had a huge response to this ballot, and the results are clear – GPs are at the end of their tether. This is an act of desperation. For too long, we’ve been unable to provide the care we want to. We are witnessing general practice being broken. The era of the family doctor has been wiped out by recent consecutive Governments and our patients are suffering as a result.”
She added that GP practices were “struggling to keep the lights on” and could not afford to hire GPs and other staff.
“The new Government is keen to find solutions but the causes of practices closing and GPs leaving remain, these actions will help keep practices open and keep GPs in the NHS workforce so can buy time for Mr Streeting to make the necessary changes that were promised in the Labour Party’s election manifesto,” she added.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting on Thursday said he could “understand why GPs wanted to punish the previous government”, but warned that “taking collective action will only punish patients”.
The last time GPs took “collective action” was in 1964 when family doctors collectively handed in undated resignations to the Wilson government.
Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said that collective action by family doctors could be “catastrophic” for the NHS.
“General practice is supporting more patients than before the Covid pandemic so any reduction in activity, such as appointments, will put more pressure on A&E departments, waiting lists and other aspects of care,” he said.
