The Doctors’ Association UK (DAUK) has given its strong support to general practitioners in England after they overwhelmingly rejected this year’s imposed contract changes.
Almost 17,000 GPs and GP registrars took part in the BMA’s referendum, with 98.9% voting against the plans.
They have called on the Government to return to negotiation with the BMA’s GP committee (BMA GPC) to jointly develop and agree a brand new contract.
Full support
Dr Steve Taylor, DAUK’s GP co-lead, said: “The DAUK GP team is in full support of the BMA GPC.
“The Government and the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, need to hear the overwhelming feedback from GPs that the new imposed contract is unacceptable.
“It creates needless barriers for patient care, and massive increase in workloads for GPs and their teams.
“It is vital that progress is made in the next few weeks to address the concerns of general practices.
“If this Labour Government is genuine about bringing back the family doctor then it needs to listen and act on concerns.”
Unequivocal rejection
BMA GPC England chair Dr Katie Bramall said: “This is an unequivocal rejection from GPs across England.
“The Government cannot ignore the strength of feeling from a profession that is already at breaking point.
“These proposals heap unsafe, unfunded additional workload on to practices, forcing GPs to deliver more with less, putting patient care at risk.
“Patient groups and GPs alike are united in their concerns around Hospitals rejecting GP referrals to access appropriate specialist care.
Waiting lists
“When the Government promised a ‘shift from hospital to the community’ we did not think this would be their own waiting lists.
“Mandating unlimited access without the staff, time, or infrastructure needed to deliver it is not a plan, but a fast-track to collapse GP services, pushing GPs to either walk away due to the moral injury it inflicts, or force them to close their doors due to the pressures placed on them.
“In some settings it may even tip family doctors to ‘do a dentist’ and see if they can offer a better, safer service privately.
“GPs simply want to provide the safe care their patients need, but they know they are being set up to fail with this imposed contract, the referendum result speaks for itself.”
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