GP protest action to be coordinated Local health boards have been warned that GPs may take “coordinated” action against the practice contract they have rejected this year. The BMA has now written to all ICBs in England, warning them to prepare for “industrial action”. The letter calls for ICBs to hold discussions with local medical…

GPs go into contract dispute after rejection Last night, GP leaders declared a formal dispute over this year’s contract settlement following the overwhelming vote of doctors to reject it, warning of the threat of industrial action or other sanctions. The BMA has advised NHS England that local health boards should now add potential GP action…

Right care, first time Practice managers are launching a major campaign to tackle public frustration at the delays in gaining GP appointments. The “Right Care First Time” campaign, launched by the Institute of General Practice Management (IGPM), aims to encourage patients to recognise that they may get the right care by going directly to other…

The brand new campaign video from the IGPM helps explain why you don’t always need to see the GP. General practice is facing unprecedented pressure. Demand is exceeding capacity, patients are facing longer delays and abuse in practice is rising as a result. This new campaign is designed to try to reduce the burden on…

It was a busy month with incoming changes in employment law, the National Living Wage on the horizon, and a controversial contract proposition. Catch up here… Best of our blogs I predict a riot… who’s with me? – By Paula the PM – The long-awaited GP Contract letter 2024/25 has been published. I’d like to say…

Appointment numbers increase, but patients still struggle to get timely care As many as one in five people say they’ve been told to call back another day when they’ve phoned their practice. In the Office for National Statistics survey, 10% of patients reported being told to wait at least two weeks for an appointment. Nearly…

Satisfaction with general practice at an all-time low Public satisfaction with general practice services has fallen to an all-time low; in fact, it has halved in the last five years, according to a British Social Attitudes survey. Just 34% of people are now satisfied with general practice compared with 64% in 2019. Making practice appointments…