GPs in England may be set to vote to close their lists in protest at the pressures on their services, according to a survey.

A British Medical Association poll of GPs is due to end on Thursday after doctors voted earlier this year to consider taking the action.

A preliminary survey by a GP magazine has found a narrow majority of doctors in favour of taking action – 51% against 49%. Some 360 doctors took part.

However most of those backing action only favour temporary suspension of new registrations, the survey found. About 12% favoured indefinite closure of lists.

Some 23,000 doctors are taking part in the BMA ballot.

* Labour yesterday released its own analysis of the pressures on practices.

Its analysis of the annual patient survey, published last month, found a seven percentage point increase in patients waiting a week or longer for an appointment. The proportion reporting being unable to get an appointment increased from 8.9% to 11.3% over five years.

Royal College of GPs chair Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard said yesterday: “With such scarce resources for our profession and a huge shortage of GPs at the moment, the Government’s focus must be on delivering more funding to offer our existing five-day service – and sufficient GPs and practice team members to deliver it.”

Dr Gavin Ralston, a GP representative at the BMA, added: “The worsening state of general practice is a direct result of years of underinvestment, as the failure to address rising patient demand has pushed services to breaking point and left GPs worryingly overstretched.

“The government must commit to their promises outlined in the Five Year Forward View and urgently address the recruitment and funding crisis in general practice in order to protect services and ensure that patients get the appropriate level of care they need and deserve.”