Health $ Lifestyle

Now GPs are threatening to strike! £110,000/year family doctors could organise industrial action ahead of general election later this year

  • The BMA said industrial action by GPs could ‘play out’ into autumn and winter  
  • It risks overwhelming hospitals as patients who cannot see a GP flock to A&Es

GPs have laid down the threat of striking ahead of the general election in a move that would inflict further misery on patients and the Government. 

The British Medical Association (BMA) said industrial action by family doctors could ‘play out’ into autumn and winter so MPs are forced to talk about it ‘on the doorstep’ during their election campaign. 

It risks overwhelming hospitals as patients who cannot see a GP flock to A&Es for help instead.

The threat comes just days after junior doctors belonging to the union ended a disruptive six day walkout – the longest in the history of the NHS.

Their actions led to a series of critical incidents and the cancellation of over 113,000 appointments and operations.

Separate figures show only 68.3 per cent of appointments were held face to face in November  — down from around 80 per cent pre-pandemic. It is also the lowest figure so far this year

Separate figures show only 68.3 per cent of appointments were held face to face in November  — down from around 80 per cent pre-pandemic. It is also the lowest figure so far this year

GP workforce data for May 2023 shows there are 27,200 fully-qualified GPs in England. This is down from 27,627 one year earlier. GP numbers peaked at 29,537 in March 2016

GP workforce data for May 2023 shows there are 27,200 fully-qualified GPs in England. This is down from 27,627 one year earlier. GP numbers peaked at 29,537 in March 2016

The graph shows the ratio of GP patients to practices since 2015, with an average of 9,755 patients per surgery in May 2023

The graph shows the ratio of GP patients to practices since 2015, with an average of 9,755 patients per surgery in May 2023

Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer, chair of the BMA’s GP Committee, said GPs will next month vote in a referendum on whether to accept the terms of a new NHS contract.

If NHS England and the Department of Health impose a contract that has been rejected by the BMA – as has happened previously – then there will be a further vote on industrial action, she added.

Speaking to GP magazine Pulse, Dr Bramall-Stainer said: ‘If NHS England and the Department of Health feel they must impose a contract that we don’t agree with from April, and if an indicative ballot suggests that this is felt strongly enough by the profession, then I think we would have to move to a formal ballot after April.

‘I could see that playing out into the summer.

‘And I could then see us looking at putting in place a menu of collective action that might be cumulative, sequenced or complemented with longer term action in the background.

‘I can see that collective action playing out into the autumn, and even into winter. And of course, we know what’s happening in autumn and winter: a general election.

‘So if we are forced down this road, we will make access and protection of your local GP, in your family surgery, the doorstep conversation during the election campaign – which it needs to be, and it’s time we spelled it out to the public and called out what is happening to us as a profession.’

The GP Committee is still in negotiations with the Government and NHS England over next year’s GP contract.

The current five-year GP contract will come to an end in March, and BMA is surveying grassroots GPs on their wishes for the future agreement.

Public opinion of GPs fell to an all-time low after the pandemic as patients struggled to secure face-to-face appointments and were made to endure an 8am scramble to get through on the phone.

The latest NHS figures show GP partners, who own practices and make up the majority of the workforce, earned an average of £153,400 in 2021/22.

However, fewer than one in four (22 per cent) fully qualified permanent GPs work full-time hours, with one in 12 (8 per cent) working 15 hours or fewer per week.

Dennis Reed, director of over-60s campaign group Silver Voices, said: ‘This sounds like sabre-rattling by the BMA as part of their negotiations.

‘I hope for everybody’s sake that an agreement is reached as the last thing patients need right now is more strikes.

‘GP services are already crumbling, with some people forced to wait weeks for a face-to-face appointment.

‘If waits get longer it will spell more pain for patients.’

What does the latest GP appointment data show?

Appointments: 31.4million

Attended: 89.8 per cent 

Seen by GP: 40.4 per cent

Seen by nurse: 19.2 per cent 

Face-to-face appointment: 67.9 per cent

Phone call appointment: 25.5 per cent

Same day: 42.6 per cent

Up to one week wait: 26.7 per cent

One to two week wait: 13.4 per cent

Two to four weeks wait: 12.4 per cent

NHS England data for November 

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