Practice staff could be asked to refuse requests for data and form filling as GPs revolt over the proposed “name and shame” support package, it has been announced.

GPs are considering unprecedented industrial action in the row over government and media “bullying” over face to face appointments, it was announced last night.

The British Medical Association said it would be conducting a ballot of GPs over potential action, which could see coordinated refusal to cooperate with NHS officials and with regulators. Anger brimmed over as the BMA’s GP committee met yesterday within a week of health secretary Sajid Javid announcing a “support” package, which his aides briefed would involve “naming and shaming” of practices and which involves creating a new text-based system for patients to rate their practice.

Several local medical committees have already advised members on how they can boycott the “support” package, which offered about £250 million in funding. 57 doctors gathered for yesterday’s special meeting and the GP committee voted unanimously that it was “outraged by the deliberate, relentless denigration of GPs by Government, NHS England and Improvement and certain quarters of the media.” Under the terms of the motion, local medical committees are to collect undated letters of resignation from GPs.

The “industrial action” itself would involve refusing to comply with a new requirement to publish earnings and with NHS England monitoring of COVID medical exemption certification. The ballot will seek permission for the BMA to give “full support” to protect GPs who take this action, which may see them being accused of breach of contract.

GP committee chair Dr Richard Vautrey said: “GPs have been left with no alternative but to take this action. All efforts to persuade the Government to introduce a workable plan that will bring immediate and longer term improvement for doctors and their patients, have so far come to nought. The Government has completely ignored our requests for a reduction in bureaucracy to allow us to focus more on patient care, and we are therefore encouraging doctors to withdraw from this bureaucracy themselves.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “We want patients to be able to see their GP promptly and in the way they choose. Our plan will improve access and drive up face to face appointments, it includes providing a further £250m to GPs in order to boost capacity.”