Almost half of GP surgeries in England are staging industrial action for the first time in 60 years amid a row over funding, a survey suggests.
In a ballot run by the British Medical Association (BMA), 98% of family doctors voted in favour of taking collective action earlier this month in protest at the last government increasing their budget by only 1.9% this year. The new government has pledged to increase funding for 2024-25 to 6%.
The study of 283 GP partners by Pulse magazine suggests 46% are already taking work-to-rule action, with more than a quarter (26%) limiting the number of patients seen each day to 25.
If you’re a patient in England – do you think you’ve been affected by the action? Do you have concerns about pressures on GP practices? We’d also like to hear from GPs and other health workers.