Practices have been promised a new drive to cut red tape to help resolve the growing pressure for improved patient access to appointments.

The promise proved a point of agreement between health secretary Sajid Javid and GP leaders after they met at the end of last week. The meeting followed a week during which the dispute escalated as the government appeared to side with newspapers alleging that GPs are refusing to offer face to face appointments.

British Medical Association GP chair Dr Richard Vautrey said: “This emergency meeting with the Secretary of State allowed us to make it crystal clear how unacceptable the increasing abuse against hardworking and dedicated GPs and the general practice workforce is, fuelled by a damaging and demoralising misinformation campaign in some parts of the media, as well as comments from politicians. We highlighted the serious damage to morale that the current anti-GP rhetoric is having on the whole workforce and how this is leading to verbal abuse on a daily basis and serious incidents of physical attack. Clear actions were needed. We made it very clear that the Government has to, unequivocally, explain to the public why healthcare workers are still working within the constraints of infection, protection and control measures. We also said it should be a priority that the Government has to explain to the public that more patients than pre-pandemic have been able to access their GPs, whether that’s via the phone, online consultations or in person.”

Following the meeting, a spokesperson for Mr Javid said: “GPs are doing a phenomenal job and we need to free up more of their time so they can focus on seeing patients rather than filing paperwork. That is why we are urgently looking at ways to cut bureaucracy in the system. For many people telephone appointments are more convenient but of course those who want a face-to-face appointment should be able to get one.”