GP’s in England have voted in favour of a work to rule which could see them ration the amount of patients that they see at their surgeries
Seven in ten eligible members voted in the non-statutory ballot, with an overwhelming 98.3% of members voting yes, indicating that they are willing to take action to save general practice
The union has told its members they can limit appointments to 25 a day
In a statement they said
The BMA now urges GP partners/contractors to start taking at least one of the actions detailed below, starting 1 August 2024. These actions will be easy, safe and sustainable. Above all they will turn up the pressure on the Government to do the right thing for general practice and patients. We need a new contract that is fit for purpose, one that provides the investment and workforce needed to reset general practice and provide patients with family doctors.
We have had several meetings with the new Secretary of State, and shared our vision for the future of general practice. We remain open to continuing discussions, to ensure GPs secure the contract that patients and staff deserve. Our vision has been informed by our conversations with thousands of GPs across our roadshows in recent weeks.
The chair of the BMA GP’s Doctor Katie Bramall-Stainer said that the vote was a testament to the strength of feeling amongst doctors
