A quarter of practices are now at risk as staff buckle under workload pressures, according to a major new survey. The findings come from the Royal College of GPs, which found hundreds of GPs and practice managers reporting “fears” that their practice would close. Some 2,600 practice staff took part in a college survey and…

I had an inkling that the contract letter would be a bit contentious, given the protracted and somewhat painful mutterings of the BMA GP committee, but when I read it last night I was speechless. This is the second year a contract has been imposed on us without agreement. We’re in the final year of…

While putting together this blog, I came across a group called The Business Continuity Institute, and they define business continuity as “Having a plan to deal with difficult situations, so your organisation can continue to function with as little disruption as possible”. It is a requirement for primary care to have business continuity arrangements in…

In the midst of what has become a highly confrontational year for the health service as different staff groups have clashed with the government, leading to strike action, the next battleground might just be in general practice. After months of inharmonious negotiations between the BMA and NHS England, the latest update to the GP contract…

GPs have “no choice” but to take industrial action after the latest contract imposition, a doctors’ group says. On Monday night the NHS England announced arrangements for practices for the coming year after talks broke down with the British Medical Association. Contractual changes include a requirement that practices do not tell callers to “ring back…

GP leaders pledged “serious” discussions about action after NHS England imposed a controversial new contract on them last night. The imposition came rapidly after GP leaders met Health Secretary Steve Barclay last week only to be told he would not intervene or provide support. It includes a tough new requirement that practices cannot tell patients…

The NHS relaunched its volunteering scheme today, assigning volunteers to help make calls to socially isolated patients. NHS England said it already has 1,000 volunteers who have agreed to make calls to vulnerable, isolated or lonely people in the “Check In and Chat” programme. GPs, pharmacists and other health workers can use the service to…