More than two-fifths of English GP practices are limiting the number of appointments, research shows
More than two-fifths of English GP practices are limiting the number of appointments, a survey has found.
A poll by The Pulse magazine found that 41 percent of 660 practices are limiting the number of patient contacts to 25 per GP per day, after GPs overwhelmingly voted in favor of collective action last summer.
The British Medical Association (BMA) has drawn up a list of ten measures to consider in surgery, including limiting the number of patients seen each day or refusing to do work for which GPs are not formally contracted.
The Pulse survey shows that about 70 percent of practices are taking some form of action, with 59 percent reporting that they have reduced services since the August 1 vote.
About 11 percent said they had made cuts before the results were announced on August 1. Another 7 percent told the survey they would not participate in collective action.
More than two-fifths of English GP practices are limiting the number of appointments, a study shows (File image)
A poll by The Pulse magazine shows that 41 percent of 660 practices limit the number of patient contacts to 25 per GP per day (File image)
The survey found 42 percent of respondents told they have stopped rationing referrals, investigations and admissions, while 13 percent are still considering the BMA’s recommended measures.
GPs warned that collective action could take months.
The figures come in line on the new GP contract, which will give the services a 1.9 per cent funding increase for 2024/2025 – a move the BMA says will leave many operations in financial trouble.
GPs launched a formal dispute over the issue in April after a union referendum showed 99 per cent of 19,000 GPs had rejected the contract.
They also expressed concern about the consequences of the increase in employers’ national insurance contributions introduced in the autumn budget.
Following Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ announcement last week, the Royal College of GPs (RCGP) said it has contacted Health Secretary Wes Streeting to seek assurance that practices will be protected like ‘the rest of the NHS and public sector ‘.
Dr. Steve Taylor, GP spokesperson for The Doctors’ Association UK, told Pulse: ‘With the current contract failing to cover the costs and increasing costs brought in by the current government in the form of national insurance and staff costs, It is vital that the government now makes funding available to ensure that GPs can continue to provide the services they need for patients.’
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: ‘The NHS is broken, and the Secretary of State has made it clear he wants to work with doctors to get the NHS back on its feet so it works for patients and staff .
‘We took tough decisions to rebuild the foundations so that a £22 billion boost for the NHS and social care could be announced at the Budget.
‘This Government is committed to recruiting more than 1,000 newly qualified GPs by cutting red tape so patients can get the care they need, and NHS England is working to tackle delays in training to ensure that healthcare has sufficient staff for the future.’