GPs have reportedly voted to reduce their working hours to a 9am until 5pm at a time when many people are finding it difficult to get doctors appointments.
A motion to change the main opening hours from 8am to 6.30pm during the working week was agreed due to claims that the longer day discriminates against doctors with families.
The change was proposed at the England Local Medical Committees (LMC) conference where Gateshead and Tyneside LMC claimed female doctors were affected worst by the current hours.
A reduction of hours would make it harder to see a doctor and it comes as new league tables will reveal GP practices that off the lowest number of appointments.
The public is now able to access data that shows how many appointments every practice in England offers and how long on average it takes to be seen.
The statistics, published on the NHS Digital website, would help patients make “more informed choices” about the GP surgery they choose and “improve transparency about performance", said the Government.
But doctors have argued that changes are needed to make the profession more attractive for working parents who may leave the profession and so lead to a shortage of GPs.
The passing of the motion at the LMCs conference means that the British Medical Association (BMA) GP Committee will be mandated to argue for a reduction of core hours in negotiations with NHS England.
Dr Paul Evans from Gateshead and Tyneside LMC, who proposed the motion, reported Pulse, said: "I know too many GPs who have quit their partnerships [or] their salaried jobs or who are just coming out of training who are not prepared to take on a permanent role because of the hours and because they cannot see a way to make it work with childcare opening hours and with family life.
"Do you want some of their time or do you want none of their time – just little bits in locums here there and everywhere?"
Speaking in favour of the motion, Dr Sarah Westerbeek from Kent LMC reportedly said that these changes need to be considered "if we’re serious about equality, reducing the gender pay gap and supporting women into leadership roles in general practice."
