GPC England and the profession reject the recently imposed GP contract
GPC England met recently and received news that GP members across the country have overwhelmingly voted to reject the contract with 99% saying no to the 2026/27 GP contract that the Government announced and imposed last month. Urgent bilateral negotiations with Government are now underway and are dependent on securing a commitment that contractual proposals around changes to ‘advice and refer’ services are paused, and mitigations are put in place around unlimited and unsafe same-day care once practices have reached their safe working limits. We know how many of you are struggling with this without any safeguards or resources.
Should these conditions not be met by 30 April, we have been clear we reserve the right to immediately escalate to collective action. Read more on our campaign page. Read the news story here.
We have prepared a Focus On document providing template letters and guidance for Local Medical Committees (LMCs) and general practices regarding the use of Advice and Guidance (A&G) and the introduction of Single Points of Access (SPoA) within the NHS as part of the 2026/27 GP Contract changes. It is intended to support LMCs and practices where A&G systems are not functioning as intended or are creating inappropriate workload or barriers to referral. It includes template letters to use if clinically necessary referrals are unilaterally converted to A&G; letters to ICB system leads regarding SPoA and A&G, and a template cover sheet to append to each referral reminding acute trusts of their contractual obligations. Thanks to colleagues at Wessex LMCs and Dr Ankit Kant for the assistance in the production of these materials.
NHS England continues to promote the use of A&G to reduce referrals into hospital services. Under the 2026/27 GP Contract, the £80 million A&G funding (uplifted to £82 million) has been incorporated into the core GP contract funding, but this change does not remove the ability of GPs to refer patients for specialist care. However, NHS England expects Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) to identify their top ten specialties and ensure that by 1 October 2026 these specialties operate via a Single Point of Access (SPoA) model. LMCs must be involved in the development and implementation of local systems relating to any A&G and SPoA developments.
Access our latest guidance on A&G which will shortly also be available on our campaign page
We will update you very soon on the next steps with regards to our contract and discussions with the Government.
Imposed GP contract changes – guidance
Following the imposed contract changes on 1 April, we would recommend that practices review and prepare for the implementation of the 2026/27 contract. Under paragraph 57 of Schedule 3 of the GMS regulations and under paragraph 52 of Schedule 2 of the PMS agreement, practices must have at least 14 days’ notice before variations take effect.
For more information, please view our GP Contract and campaign page which contains the latest updates about the 26/27 contract changes and our dispute with Government, as well as links to guidance to help support you and your practices.
QRISK 2
We have had confirmation this week from NHS England that QRISK2 will remain available in EMIS Web/SystmOne for at least the next year whilst work progresses on the integration of QRISK3.
Palantir - Federated Data Platform Parliamentary Debate 16 April
Yesterday, MPs queued up in Westminster Hall to demand the government scraps its £330m NHS contract with the spy-tech company Palantir. Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs led the calls for Palantir, which has connections with the Trump administration’s ICE immigration teams and the Israeli military, to be removed as a supplier to the NHS federated data platform (FDP). Labour MP Samantha Niblett questioned if Palantir could be “trusted as a custodian of the intimate health records of tens of millions of British citizens”.
Thank you to those GPs who contacted their MPs to attend. You may be interested to read Dr Helen Salisbury’s BMJ piece on GP data control, privacy and Palantir. Should we be forced into taking collective action next month, we will be seeking to reduce liabilities on GP partners; increase GP – patient trust and striking at the heart of government strategy by taking action around our data controllership of the GP patient record. Dr Jess Morley’s guest editorial on protecting GP data and UK Biobank
Participation in Professional Fees Committee survey on a DWP proposal
The BMA’s Professional Fees Committee is holding a survey about the recent proposal from the DWP (Department for Work and Pensions) to increase the GPFR (general practice factual report) rates.
The DWP has suggested raising the fee for each completed GPFR from £33.50 to £53.50, representing a 60% increase from the current rate, following the professional fees committee’s request for a higher payment. While this is a substantial improvement, the offer is subject to several conditions, including the need to encourage timely responses, promote high-quality reporting, facilitate training sessions, and support ongoing digitisation initiatives. The DWP would want to review progress against each of these principles 1 year after the increase has landed and if they have not been met, the Department would reserve the right to return to the current fee (£33.50). Please complete the brief survey and share your perspective (the survey closes 30 April).
CQC consultation – new assessment framework
CQC is proposing to introduce a new assessment framework for primary and community care, replacing the existing generic framework for all health settings. More information is available on the CQC website. GPCE will be responding to the proposals, but members can also share their views before 12 June.
Centre for Health & the Public Interest’s NHS Profit Map
The Guardian on Monday published a story on the NHS profit map which the Centre for Health and the Public interest (CHPI) have been working on for the last 18 months. The CHPI also has a dedicated website which allows members of the public to find out how much profit is leaking out in their local NHS region. Put simply, if profit extraction is reduced from the NHS, the equivalent of 9,000 doctors’ salaries could be invested back into the NHS. GPs, practices and their LMCs may find this useful in challenging commissioning discussions locally and when corresponding with MPs. The BMA has clear policy that patients must not come before profits and a well-resourced publicly funded and publicly provided NHS is the solution to many of the problems we face at the present time.
Sessional GPs: Know Your Rights – Online Event
Following the positive feedback from previous online engagement events, we are pleased to invite you to the next session in the series: “Sessional GPs: Know Your Rights”. This BMA members‑only event is designed to help Sessional GPs better understand their rights in the workplace and to highlight the dedicated BMA resources and support available to you.
The event will take place virtually on 7 May 2026, from 7:00pm to 8.30pm.
This session will provide practical guidance for salaried, locum and other groups of Sessional GPs, including those working in out‑of‑hours services and private practice. Topics include contractual entitlements, job planning, funding mechanisms and routes for raising concerns. We will explain how the BMA can support you in enforcing your workplace terms and conditions. Register for the event here.
Vote for your GPC England representative for Sandwell, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Dudley
All GPs working in the Sandwell, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Dudley area are eligible to vote in this election, to submit your vote please go to https://elections.bma.org.uk/. The deadline for voting is 12pm on 23 April 2026 so you have a few days left to do so.
If you are not a BMA member or are unable to access the election portal you will need a BMA web account to access the election – you may already have one if you have registered one for LMC conference or if you have previously been a BMA member. If you are not sure please email elections@bma.org.uk with your GMC number and the team can check for you.
Sessional GPs committee (SGPC) North East region byelection 2026
The sessional GP committee has a vacancy for a representative working in the North East England.
BMA members will be eligible if, for the six months before this election, their GP performer’s work has been solely as a sessional GP (excluding work as a GP appraiser) or a GP trainee, and an average of one or more session per week of general practice work has been undertaken for that period. A GP trainee can stand in the election as long as they will be a sessional GP from the point of election (6 May 2026). Once elected, they must continue to meet Sessional GP status and working time requirements.
If you would like to nominate yourself, go to https://elections.bma.org.uk/ 12pm on 21 April 2026.
If you have any questions, please contact elections@bma.org.uk
GPCE bulletin:
GPC England and profession reject imposed contract | contract changes guidance | NHS profit map
GP CONTRACT REFERENDUM OPEN NOW
Before you do anything else, please stop and check your inbox for your voting link by searching for bma@cesvotes.com.
An email has been sent to all eligible members today and it’s crucial we hear from you.
Deadline to vote is Wednesday noon 25th March 2026.
Background:
GPC England rejected the Government’s 26/27 GP contract changes and opened a referendum for GPs and GP registrars. This is our opportunity to send a strong signal demonstrating how the profession feels, and how we can move forward to protect the future of general practice.
It is vital you have your say by voting in this referendum.
You should have received an email from our partner Civica, inviting you to vote, asking whether you accept the Government’s changes to the GP practice contract for 2026/27, or if you reject the changes and want the Government to return to direct, meaningful negotiations with GPC England.
General practice is critically endangered, facing extinction and the Government must work with us to bring general practice back from the brink; this contract will not do that.
PLEASE VOTE NO
Missing your ballot voting link?
Read our referendum FAQs if you need help obtaining your voting email or submitting your vote.
The most common reasons for not yet receiving your e-voting email include:
If you still haven’t received your e-ballot, please let us know or contact us GPContract@bma.org.uk.
No more empty words. No more broken promises. It’s time for action.
Listen to a podcast (live from Sat) where the GPCE Chair, Dr Katie Bramall, discusses with Tommy Perkins and Andy Pow (from MedicsMoney), about how an initially hopeful path to a new GP contract derailed after the NHS 10-year plan and Treasury spending review, leading to an imposed contract and fears the “real-terms” uplift will be wiped out by inflation and cost pressures.
Our GP Contract and campaign page contains the latest update about the contract, as well as guidance to help support you, and your practices.
2026/27 contract changes webinar recording
General practice is critically endangered, facing extinction and the Government must work with us to bring general practice back from the brink; this contract will not do that.
We have held webinars where we discussed the new contract and the next steps for the profession. Watch the webinar recording: GPC England contract update webinar
Contact us at info.gpc@bma.org.uk
Meningitis outbreak
The BMA recognises the distress and significant impact of the meningitis outbreak and extend our thoughts to everyone affected and our condolences to those who have lost loved ones.
We know the outbreak is putting pressure on frontline services, particularly for our colleagues going above and beyond in general practice and public health, and we are grateful for your efforts. As students return home for the Easter break, there may also be students in other areas seeking advice from GPs and local public health teams.
We encourage practices to continue to follow the advice of UKHSA and NHSE, and please liaise with your local director of public health and their teams if you have questions or concerns.
We’re also aware there can be wider impacts on medical students, GP and public health registrars and medical educators. The BMA is continuing to monitor the situation and we are here to support you, including through our wellbeing services.
GPC England has been in discussion with UKHSA, DHSC and NHSE about resourcing for Men B vaccination and prophylaxis in General Practice, and NHSE has now written to Practices to offer MenB vaccinations upon request to a small cohort of patients who cannot access vaccination at local vaccination clinics at the University of Kent.
Neighbourhood health services
DHSC and NHS England have published new documents setting out how the neighbourhood health services proposed in the 10 Year Health Plan are expected to work in practice:
These documents, originally expected to be released in November 2025, provide important insight into DHSC and NHS England’s plans. GPC England is currently working with the BMA’s policy teams to analyse both documents and to produce materials for members.
They highlight certain targets and areas of focus, with GP access and urgent on the day (90% target) being one example. They also touch more widely upon the government’s ‘reform agenda’, which include the use of technology, ‘proactive’ population health based approaches and out of hours care, encompassing urgent and emergency services.
GP hospital referrals: Single point of access subject to locally agreed pathways
As part of the contract changes announced by NHS England, the Advice & Guidance DES will be removed, the money moved in Global Sum, and new contractual requirements around the use of advice and guidance introduced.
Alongside this, NHSE have also announced a push towards the implementation of a Single Point of Access (SPoA) system for GP referrals into secondary care. Once rolled out this will mean that all referrals will go through a Trust’s SPoA, where a decision will be made as to whether the referral is allowed to progress or is pushed back to the GP with for ‘advice and guidance’.
The right to refer and ability for patients to access care across the primary and secondary interface is a key tenet of a functioning health system. GPCE has strong concerns that this will undermine the GP’s right to make referrals on their patients’ behalf, and adversely impact upon patient care and cost effectiveness due to delays in patients being seen.
NHSE have stated that these SPoA and pathways will be subject to ‘locally agreed pathways. It is vital that these are co-produced, with LMCs and practices agreeing the design and implementation of any such local pathways. Whilst alternatives to hospital referrals may at times be appropriate, and be used as a supportive clinical tool, they must not be used to delay appropriate referrals, deflect referrals inappropriately, or prevent patients accessing specialist assessment where clinically required.
Further guidance for LMCs and practices will be published shortly.
Mapping of ‘clinically urgent’ appointments
We are still awaiting the draft Regulations that will set out the detail of how new contractual requirements announced by NHS England will operate. However, we are aware that some ICBs have already asked practices to record appointments for all patients they deem to be clinically urgent using appointment slots mapped to the General Consultation Acute national category within General Practice Appointments Data (GPAD).
It is for GP practices to determine which patients are clinically urgent.
We will be publishing further guidance on this shortly.
NHSPS asset transfer
ICBs have written to NHS Trusts inviting them to take over leases currently held by NHS Property Services, including a significant number of GP surgery buildings. While DHSC’s guidance published at the end of January set out a timeline for Expressions of Interest (EOIs) to be submitted to NHSPS by the end of March, we are concerned to see the deadline brought forward to 13 March in the Southeast region. Equally worrying is the absence of consultation with the practices affected, and the fact that practices themselves have not been invited to submit EOIs. We are writing to Government to challenge this approach and to seek urgent clarity on what these changes mean for impacted practices- particularly given the ongoing crisis caused by disputed service charge debt.
Dispensing
NHS funding to cease for Emis Web dispensing module | Dispensing Doctors' Association
From April 1, dispensing practices using EMIS Web have been told they will need to pay for the dispensing module.
In a communication from Optum EMIS received Wednesday 18 March, customers were informed that NHS England will cease central funding for this module on 1 April, and that as a result Optum will start invoicing practices directly.
It is believed (but not confirmed) that the new charge will be 25p per registered patient (note: not dispensing patient).
Neither the Doctors Dispensing Association (DDA) nor GPCE were informed of the change, and to date, there has been no communication of the change by NHS England.
NHS England and Optum have been asked for comment.
MP meetings
GPC England has recently met with a number of MPs including Sarah Green MP who we briefed on estates and wider GP pressures and Health Select Committee member, Joe Robertson MP who we discussed our concerns around the GP contract with.
We also met with Liberal Democrat Primary Care Spokesperson Helen Maguire MP to discuss the future of general practice funding in particular the Carr-Hill formula and Shadow Health Minister, Dr Luke Evans MP. Following our meeting Dr Evans raised an urgent question in parliament regarding the GP contract where he highlighted particular concerns around patient safety linked to the definition of an ‘urgent’ appointment and concerns echoes by GPCE regarding advice and referral.
In addition, we have met with The Rt Hon Pat McFadden MP, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, to discuss fit notes. During the meeting we outlined the importance of the doctor patient relationship when dealing with fit note requests, the role of occupation health and what support patients may need during periods of ill health.
Biobank data
Following a recent report in the Guardian which indicated that confidential data shared by patients with biobank had surfaced online in a way that made it potentially identifiable. Practices may find themselves fielding questions from concerned patients. GPC has long represented the concerns of practices across the UK in discussions with government over use of data for consented cohort studies.
You will be aware of the recent Data Provision Notice issued by DHSC which transferred responsibility and legal liability for GP data shared as part of studies and projects including Biobank. In line with this, there is nothing further for practices to do at this time. Should any patients present with concerns about these reports, they should be referred to Biobank’s response or, if they express a desire to stop sharing their data – they should get in touch with Biobank’s Data Protection Officer.
GPC England regional elections
Voting for the following GPC regional representatives is now open;
To be eligible to vote in a constituency, you must work in the constituency for which you are voting and meet the criteria noted on the election guide which is available on the elections portal.
If you would like to vote, please go to elections.bma.org.uk (the deadline is Tuesday, noon 7 April).
If you have any queries, please contact elections@bma.org.uk
Sessional GPs Committee Regional Elections
The Sessional GPs committee is part of the BMA's GPC and provides national representation for all salaried and locum GPs. The Sessional GP committee (SGPC) is seeking nominations for 1 elected member of the committee. To stand for election you must be a BMA member and meet the criteria noted on the Sessional GP election guide which is available on the elections portal.
If you would like to nominate yourself, please go to elections.bma.org.uk (deadline noon 1 April 2026).
If you have any questions or require assistance, please contact elections@bma.org.uk
Rebuild General Practice is powered by real stories from the frontline
Rebuild General Practice is looking to hear from as many GPs as possible about what’s really happening on the ground and to work with you to bring those experiences into the public conversation. If you’ve seen or experienced something that shows the pressures, challenges, or impact on patients and staff, we want to hear from you! Please reach out to hello@rebuildgp.co.uk to schedule a conversation and pitch those stories (confidentially or non) to media.
GPCE bulletin: GP contract referendum is open | meningitis outbreak | neighbourhood health services
GP contract imposition and referendum
GPC England met on 26 February and voted to reject the Government’s 2026/27 GMS contract and to open a contract referendum of the profession on the imposed contract changes, which were announced on Tuesday last week.
It is vital you vote in the referendum. To do so, you must be a BMA member.
GP and GP registrar members should have received an email from Civica, inviting you to vote. You’ll be asked if you accept the Government’s changes to GP contracts for 2026/27, and its approach to making them, or if you want the Government to return to direct, meaningful negotiations with GPCE to jointly develop a new national GMS contract to restore the viability of partnerships, provide fair remuneration for all GPs, and implement workload safeguards to keep GPs and patients safe.
If you have not received an email from Civica with your voting link, please check your junk folders and contact GPContract@bma.org.uk if you don't have one.
The referendum opened on 4 March and is open until 12pm, Wednesday 25 March. Have your say on the Government’s changes to your practice contract for 2026/27.
The last day to join the BMA in order to vote in the referendum is 19 March – please encourage your join the BMA.
No more empty words. No more broken promises. It’s time for action.
Listen to the GPonline podcast where the GPC England Chair, Dr Katie Bramall, talks about the imposed 2026/27 GP contract and the referendum >
Find out more on our website: www.bma.org.uk/GPcontract
Contract webinars
General practice is critically endangered, facing extinction and the Government must work with us to bring general practice back from the brink; this contract will not do that.
We are undertaking further webinars where we will discuss the new contract and what the next steps are for the profession. You can use the links below for these.
Please feed in any queries you have to info.gpc@bma.org.uk
Letter to GPs in England about fees for safeguarding work
There are no agreed fees for completing safeguarding reports or attending case conferences. Following advice from King’s Counsel, the PFC’s position in relation to fees for safeguarding services, is that GPs are entitled to ask for a fee for safeguarding services as this work falls outside the scope of their GMS, PMS and APMS contract of employment. Read more >
Annual flu letter
NHS England have now published the annual flu letter, outlining the cohort and vaccine information for the 2026/27 flu programme. The letter can be accessed on the NHS England website
GPC England regional representative elections
The term for these roles will run from the conclusion of the ARM in July 2026 until July 2029. Due to changes in BMA rules some longstanding committee members may not be eligible to run or only be eligible to hold the role for one or two sessions. To stand for election you must be a member of the BMA, and work in the constituency for which you are standing.
Nominations will close at noon Friday 13 March 2026 – go to elections.bma.org.uk
If you have any questions or require assistance, please contact elections@bma.org.uk.
RCGP and Patient Association joint report
On Tuesday 24 February, the Royal College of General Practitioners and the Patients Association launched their joint report, "It shouldn't be this hard": Solving the NHS maze for patients and GPs. The report makes three recommendations to policy makers, based on engagement with patients and GPs on their experiences with navigating primary care. The recommendations are:
1. Every patient should find the NHS easy to navigate
2. Every patient should be able to see their GP when they need to
3. Every patient should be able to access their information and track referrals via user-friendly systems
Mental health consultation
The Department of Health and Social Care has launched anIndependent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism: terms of reference. This review was promised by the Secretary of State, Wes Streeting MP, and we would recommend as many GPs as possible to contribute their thoughts and experience.
The mailbox to receive submissions is independentprevalencereview@dhsc.gov.uk
PCSE Online: New Access for GP Accountants
PCSE has introduced new permissions in PCSE Online that allow GP accountants to access Employee Contribution Statements and complete Type 1 and Type 2 certificates for GP Pension Scheme members.
Practice User Administrators can add or remove an accountant or authorised contact as needed. Each accountant must have a link to each Pension Scheme Member. The previous accountant role is no longer active, so new access must be set up in PCSE Online.
Further information can be found on the PCSE website.
Community pharmacy and general practice conference 21-22 June
The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) and Cogora is hosting the Community Pharmacy and General Practice Conference 21–22 June 2026 at the National Conference Centre in Birmingham.
The event will unite professionals from community pharmacy, general practice and wider primary care to redefine neighbourhood health.
The programme is created in collaboration with an Advisory Committee, including Dr Julius Parker, GPCE deputy chair. It features case-based sessions, built around five core streams: collaboration in action; business and service innovation; leadership and workforce; technology and AI for integration; clinical skills booster – delivering implementable ideas to strengthen integrated primary care. It is designed to share practical, case-based learning to help drive stronger collaboration between general practice and community pharmacy. Register free here.
How to get the most out of the LMC Support Network
To share materials or ideas/comments etc, please email admin@lmcsn.co.uk or visit www.lmcsn.co.uk
GP wellbeing resources
A range of wellbeing and support services are available to doctors, and we encourage anybody who is feeling under strain to seek support. Support comes in various forms, from the BMA’s 24/7 confidential counselling and peer support services and NHS practitioner health service to non-medical support services such as Samaritans. The organisation Doctors in Distress provides mental health support for health workers in the UK, and confidential peer support group sessions.
The Cameron Fund supports GPs and their families in times of financial need (through ill health, disability, bereavement, relationship breakdown or loss of employment). The RCGP also has information on GP wellbeing support. The BMA has produced a poster with 10 top tips to support wellbeing.
Visit the BMA’s wellbeing support services page or call 0330 123 1245 for the counselling line.
Read the GPCE bulletin:
GP contract referendum | upcoming contract webinars | fees for safeguarding work
The BMA’s GP committee for England (GPC England) has overwhelmingly voted to reject the Government’s unrealistic and unsafe plans to impose changes to GP practice contracts, calling for the Government to directly negotiate a new practice contract with the committee.
GPC England chair Dr Katie Bramall said: “The ‘open-floodgates’ strategy which has been drowning general practice since October is not going away – the Government is doubling down and turning general practice into a digital-first, patients-last, unsafe primary care model where the result is a far poorer patient experience.
“General practice is critically endangered, facing extinction: patient list sizes compared with GP numbers are still dangerously high; continuity of patient care is rapidly declining; and we have lost over 6,000 (around 28%) of the GP partners who actually run practices since 2015. Government must work with us to bring general practice back from the brink of extinction; this contract will not do that. No more empty words. No more broken promises - it’s time for action.
“GPs are hardworking, dedicated professionals, but we are not magicians. We can’t bend the rules of physics and provide unlimited same-day urgent care as well as unlimited planned and routine care, all whilst hospital trusts are enabled to reject our referrals so that we are trying to manage the impossible and unsafe. Premises are outdated and crumbling, demand is spiralling out of control without the workforce or resource to support it, and despite Government rhetoric we are drowning in bureaucracy. GPs are in despair, uncertain how on Earth they can achieve the Government’s unrealistic expectations and fear this contract will drive away more experienced GPs increasing the risk of further practice closures.
“Unless we see the Government return to the negotiating table and enter into serious one-to-one negotiations over a new contract with GPCE - as promised repeatedly by Secretary of State Wes Streeting - to restore the viability of partnerships and practices, deliver safe working practices for patients and fair remuneration for all GPs, the profession will be left with no alternative but to escalate to action to protect ourselves and our patients.”
From 4 March to 25 March, GPC England will hold a referendum of all GPs and GP Registrars across England on the changes imposed from 1 April.
GPC England will ask its members if they accept the Government’s changes or if they want them to return to direct negotiations with BMA leaders to jointly develop a new practice contract that restores the viability of GP partnerships, provides fair remuneration of all GPs and implements workload safeguards to keep patients and practice staff safe.
General Practice: Critically Endangered, Facing Extinction
The Government has indicated they will share their final positions on the 2026/27 GP contract changes in England next week and we await the details of this. It is vital they recognise the critical situation we face with increasing workloads, stretched finances and an exhausted workforce. In the meantime the BMA has just published a 30-minute podcast where the GPC England Chair, Dr Katie Bramall, and I, Dr David Wrigley, talk about where we are at the moment in general practice and the real challenges we're facing as a profession. We hope you find it an interesting listen as we talk through some topical issues.
We have also created two bite‑sized briefings on what we need to see from NHS England to fill the vacuum around ‘Neighbourhoods’ as well as expanding on the themes we covered with our profession being critically endangered, and facing extinction:
GPC England will meet on Thursday Feb 26th to scrutinise the contract, then debate and vote on the offer from Government. We are undertaking some further webinars where we will discuss the new contract and what the next steps are for the profession. You can use the links below for these.
We know how vital these discussions are to the whole profession, we want your feedback and to bring you along with us so please feed in any queries you have to info.gpc@bma.org.uk
Thank you.
Parliamentary Health and Social Care Select Committee submission
The BMA has submitted written evidence to the ‘Health and Social Care Select Committee inquiry into delivering the neighbourhood health service: estates inquiry’. The response outlines our recommendations and concerns including views on the NHS ten-year health plan, ensuring that GP premises are supported to meet future patient need. We also explain our concerns regarding the use of private finance initiatives within the NHS and the importance of appropriately resourcing general practice. We will share a copy of our submission once it has been published by the committee.
Refresh of the ‘Pressures in General Practice’ webpage
The BMA has produced a new page analysing the current state of general practice in England. Drawing on the latest workforce and appointment statistics, it highlights how rising patient demand, shrinking GP workforce and workload pressures are affecting GP services; from longer waits to increased use of urgent care. It also explains how insufficient core GP contract funding and limited infrastructure are hindering recruitment, creating the paradox of GP underemployment despite high demand.
Update on your pension and missing records
In April 2025, the BMA submitted a freedom of information request to the NHS Business Service Authority (NHS BSA) asking how many GPs in England had missing years of pensions data in their records - shockingly, it revealed that it was 56%. The BMA re-submitted the same request in January, with the hope that the meetings with NHS BSA, PCSE & the DHSC would improve the situation. We are disappointed that 51 % of the current cohort in the scheme still don’t have an up-to-date record.
Not having an up-to-date pension record makes it impossible to plan for your retirement and assess your immediate pension tax position. The BMA is here to help our members engage with relevant parties effectively, and you can use the BMA’s step by step campaign to get your pension record up to date. The guide includes templates to use at each stage and guidance on when you can escalate your query to appropriate bodies to seek financial compensation.
GPC England regional representative elections
The term for these roles will run from the conclusion of the ARM in July 2026 until July 2029. Due to changes in BMA rules some longstanding committee members may not be eligible to run or only be eligible to hold the role for one or two sessions. To stand for election you must be a member of the BMA, work in the constituency for which you are standing, and be one of the following:
Nominations are now open and will close at noon Friday 13 March 2026 – go to elections.bma.org.uk
If you have any questions or require assistance, please contact elections@bma.org.uk.
Pharmacy services microsite for patients
Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has developed a small ‘micro’ website to provide information to patients on three CPCF (Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework) services and directing them to the NHS website search functionality should they wish to identify a pharmacy to access a service. This is intended to address concerns that some websites providing similar information for patients only direct them to a limited list of pharmacies providing the services. The microsite also contains information for patients on their right to choose which pharmacy they use for the provision of services.
Online 113 form
The DWP has contacted GPCE to note that they are aware of a significant fraud risk associated with the online ESA113 form (for healthcare professionals to fill in if DWP asks for information in connection with Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit). They have checked and the total number of downloads in the 12 months to 30 September 2025 was only 1,261 i.e. about 100 a month and therefore DWP will ask for it to be removed from GOV.UK and also remove the reference to it in the introductory notes of the paper version of the 113.
Improving the nation’s diet: the impact of ultra-processed food
A new BMA report Improving the nation’s diet: the impact of ultra-processed food has been published, which examines the consequences of harmful dietary patterns, including rising consumption of UPFs (ultra processed foods) and calls for measures to protect the health of the population. Read more here
Employment Rights Act 2025
The latest reforms under the Employment Rights Act 2025 took effect on 18 February, rolling back much of the restrictive Trade Union Act 2016. Changes include extending strike mandates to 12 months, reducing strike notice periods to 10 days, simplifying ballot rules, strengthening dismissal protections, and scrapping picket supervisor requirements. Further information on the Government’s timetable for reform is here. Critically, scrapping the arbitrary 50% turnout threshold and introducing e-balloting have been delayed until at least August 2026. The BMA will continue to hold Government to account for the timely delivery of these commitments.
Evaluation of the NHSE Record a Vaccination Service (RAVS) team support for GP nurse vaccinators
NHSE’s Record a Vaccination Service (RAVS) team intends to approach a number of provider groups, including GP nurse vaccinators, over the coming weeks to evaluate how effectively RAVS supports them in delivering infant vaccinations with a focus on:
They anticipate that the opportunity will be communicated via the primary care newsletter and/or the practice manager mailing list.
This is voluntary user research only – there will be no contractual, performance or assurance implications. Findings will be anonymised and used solely to inform improvements to the digital service.
Chaperone guidance
Concerns have been raised about NHSE’s recent guidance on Improving chaperoning practice in the NHS, based on GMC guidance on Intimate examinations and chaperones. We have previously identified this as a significant challenge for doctors. This is covered in the BMA’s Core Ethics Guidance in Sect. 2.5.
How to get the most out of the LMC Support Network
To share materials or ideas/comments etc, please email admin@lmcsn.co.uk or visit www.lmcsn.co.uk
GP wellbeing resources
A range of wellbeing and support services are available to doctors, and we encourage anybody who is feeling under strain to seek support. Support comes in various forms, from the BMA’s 24/7 confidential counselling and peer support services and NHS practitioner health service to non-medical support services such as Samaritans. The organisation Doctors in Distress provides mental health support for health workers in the UK, and confidential peer support group sessions.
The Cameron Fund supports GPs and their families in times of financial need (through ill health, disability, bereavement, relationship breakdown or loss of employment). The RCGP also has information on GP wellbeing support. The BMA has produced a poster with 10 top tips to support wellbeing.
Visit the BMA’s wellbeing support services page or call 0330 123 1245 for the counselling line.
Read the GPCE bulletin:
New podcast from Drs Bramall & Wrigley | Bitesize briefings | Upcoming contract webinars
Read the latest Sessional GPs newsletter
General Practice: Critically Endangered - Facing Extinction
Many thanks to those of you who logged in to last week’s webinars. It was great to connect with over a thousand GPs joining and contributing to where we are now, and the future direction of travel ahead of coming back to you with more information next month regarding the 2026/27 contract. We expect to receive the final position from government at the end of the month. GPC England will also then meet, scrutinise and vote thereafter, and we will start webinars on the new contract – and your opportunity to feed back on it – at the start of March.
For those of you unable to join us, we will be publishing a shortened 30-minute podcast next week of myself in conversation with my deputy chair, David Wrigley. We will also be sharing ‘bite size’ briefings on what we need to see from NHS England to fill the vacuum of ‘Neighbourhoods’ as well as expanding on the themes we covered around our profession being critically endangered, and facing extinction:
The loss of our habitat through starvation of premises funding; over-exploitation via being expected to absorb rising demand; greater clinical complexity; workload shifts and greater bureaucracy, compliance and regulation all with fewer GP:Patient ratios is classic over-harvesting. Our pollution isn’t chemical – it’s cognitive overload: paperwork, box-ticking, regulation, red tape and IT friction leading to productivity and morale collapse. GP substitution grows with new roles with no boundaries and unlimited supervision; destabilising the GP eco-system instead of strengthening it. And climate change – the constant policy churn, the drives on access and media pressure allowing no time for our species to adapt before the next reorganisation lands.
We will be expanding on this in light of the new contract next month. We know how vital these discussions are to the whole profession, we want your feedback and to bring you along with us so please feed in any queries you have to info.gpc@bma.org.uk
Dates and links to register for the March 2026/27 contract webinars will follow in the next newsletter.
Focus on: Vaccination by non-registered healthcare workers
GPC England has published a ‘Focus on guidance on vaccinations by non-registered healthcare workers, following an update by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to their guidance on the national minimum standards and core curriculum for vaccination training.
UKHA’s guidance outlines the requirements for vaccinating staff, including the role non-registered healthcare professionals should play in the provision of vaccinations. This clarification around the role of HCSWs may not be in line with existing interpretation and could potentially significantly impact upon the way in which practices design and deliver mass vaccinations programmes.
Read the GPC England guidance: Vaccination and immunisation programmes
Letter to CMO about vaccination programmes
We have written to the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, to highlight our concerns about lack of funding uplifts for GP practices providing routine and seasonal vaccination programmes. Despite an agreement from NHS England to uplift the payments for routine childhood vaccinations by £2 per dose, funding for GP vaccination programmes has fallen significantly behind inflation during this time, losing over a quarter of its value. Safeguarding and increasing uptake for these programmes should be a priority for the Government and the NHS, especially in light of the risks we’ve seen in recent years from infectious diseases alongside falling rates of vaccination. We will continue to pursue all avenues, to support practices.
NHS England Chaperones & Prevention of Sexual Misconduct in the NHS Guidance
We are writing to NHS England further to the publication of their document Improving chaperoning practice in the NHS: key principles and guidance following its publication in December. This guidance, and its implementation, form a key part of the actions listed in the Update on actions to prevent sexual misconduct in the NHS released on the same day.
GPs and their practices treat the protection of patients and staff alike with the utmost seriousness, and whilst we support the principles behind this guidance and recognise the potential for staff isolation, the fact that so many consultations are one-on-one presents issues for practices regarding keeping all who use, and work in, the service safe.
ICBs will be expected to provide support for practices in implementing these new standards, but some aspects of the guidance will be challenging to implement fully, with the chaperoning guidance in particular presenting practical difficulties as the document represents a significant expansion of the typical practice policy. We would highlight the following:
GPC England will be reflecting on the need for proportionality, common sense and patient/parent choice to reassure GPs and their teams, and we will continue to keep you updated.
Joint primary care parliamentary reception
Last week we jointly held a parliamentary drop-in reception, alongside other organisations for MPs and their staff on the crisis in primary care. Over 20 MPs attended the event, hosted by Liberal Democrat Primary Care Spokesperson Helen Maguire MP, including the Shadow Primary Care Minister, Luke Evans, Dr Simon Opher MP, Ian Sollom, Lee Pitcher, Dawn Butler and Pippa Heylings.
We briefed attending MPs about the current crisis in general practice particularly focussing on finance and GP under and unemployment. We also spoke about our concerns regarding neighbourhood models and the Carr-Hill formula review. Over the coming weeks we will continue to brief MPs from across all parties on these issues and our asks to resolve the current crisis and ensure general practice is supported to meet the needs of patients now and in the future.
Practice Finance research: results and call to action
We would like to thank everyone who took the time to share practice accounts data via our recent survey. We have now analysed the initial results. Key insights have been shared with NHSE and the DHSC, ensuring their awareness of the financial pressures facing GP practices in England.
You can see the key insights for yourself here.
But it’s not too late to help with this research. The survey remains open on a rolling basis, so we can build a growing and increasingly robust resource that will be of immense importance during the new substantive GP contract negotiations.
Professional obligations and protecting patients first and foremost
Some LMCs have reported concerns from GP partners who have received contract breach notices from ICBs in circumstances where practices believe their actions were taken to comply with professional duties under Good Medical Practice (GMP).
GPC England is seeking examples to better understand the nature, frequency and consequences of these situations. In particular, we are keen to hear from GP partners where alleged breaches arose from decisions made to protect patient safety, maintain professional standards, or act ethically in line with General Medical Council expectations – for example in relation to workload pressures, safe staffing, continuity of care, or limits on capacity.
GPs are legally and professionally required to practise in accordance with GMP, putting patient safety, dignity and quality of care first. Where contractual requirements or commissioning expectations appear to conflict with those professional obligations, practices may feel they have little choice but to act in the interests of patients, even where this risks challenge from commissioners.
Understanding how ICBs are interpreting contracts, and how breach processes are being applied in these circumstances, is essential to informing GPC England’s national policy work, supporting LMCs locally, and strengthening our collective position in discussions with NHS England and DHSC.
If your practice has received a breach notice that you believe relates directly to actions taken to comply with GMP, we would welcome a brief outline of the situation. This may include the nature of the alleged breach, the professional considerations involved, and any outcomes to date. Examples can be shared confidentially and anonymised as necessary.
Please share details with your LMC or with GPCE via info.gpc@bma.org.uk. Your experiences are vital in ensuring GPs can uphold their professional responsibilities without fear of inappropriate contractual sanction.
GPC England by election Cheshire / Mid Mersey representative
Voting for the by election for a Cheshire / Mid Mersey representative to GPC England has now opened. The term for this role is the remainder of the 2025-26 session which concludes at the close of ARM 2026.
To be eligible to vote in a constituency, you must be a GP working in the Cheshire / Mid Mersey area. To submit your vote, please go to https://elections.bma.org.uk/ the deadline for voting is 20 February 2026 at 4pm.
You will need a BMA web account to access the election – if you are not a member or are unable to access the election please email elections@bma.org.uk with your GMC number and the team can check for you.
GP pressures – workforce and appointment data
The latest GP workforce data showed that in December 2025, the NHS had the equivalent of 28,777 fully qualified full-time GPs. While there is a general rise in FTE GPs since July 2023, GP practices still employ the equivalent of 587 fewer FTE GPs than in September 2015. In addition, the number of GP practices in England has decreased by 7 over the past year to 6,174.
This fall in both GP numbers and practices coincides with a rise in patients: as of December 2025, there was 63.9 million patients registered with practices in England with each FTE GP responsible for an average of 2,220 patients. This is an increase of 282 patients per GP, or about 14.6%, since 2015.
Despite this, 30.9 million standard appointments were delivered in December 2025 – an average of 1.47m appointments per working day, higher than Dec 2024 (1.41m) and Dec 2023 (1.36m).
Read more about GP pressures on our data analysis page, which shows the level of strain GP practices in England are under: Pressures in general practice data analysis
How to get the most out of the LMC Support Network
To share materials or ideas/comments etc, please email admin@lmcsn.co.uk
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Find out more at the WhatsApp community and website at www.lmcsn.co.uk
GP wellbeing resources
A range of wellbeing and support services are available to doctors, and we encourage anybody who is feeling under strain to seek support. Please take a moment to check in on your colleagues’ wellbeing and look out for each other.
Support comes in various forms, from our 24/7 confidential counselling and peer support services and NHS practitioner health service to non-medical support services such as Samaritans. The organisation Doctors in Distress provides mental health support for health workers in the UK, and confidential peer support group sessions.
We have produced a poster with 10 top tips to help maintain and support the wellbeing of your colleagues and yourself.
The Cameron Fund supports GPs and their families in times of financial need, whether through ill health, disability, bereavement, relationship breakdown or loss of employment.
The RCGP also has information on GP wellbeing support.
Please visit the BMA’s wellbeing support services page, refer to our extended directory, or call 0330 123 1245 for the counselling line or peer support.
Read the GPCE bulletin: General practice: critically endangered | practice finance research | new vaccine guidance
General Practice: Critically Endangered - Facing Extinction
Last Thursday, GPC England met at BMA House for the first meeting of 2026; this week marked ‘Blue Monday’ - the lowest emotional point of the winter. You won’t be alone in struggling to find the joy in general practice currently, especially given relentless online demand and respiratory illnesses which have taken their toll on practices and GPs nationwide. We are seeing some of our busiest days, with record numbers of patient contacts leaving us feeling unsafe and unsupported - taking us further away from face-to-face continuity of care with our patients, the true bedrock of general practice.
We see and hear the immense effort you’re putting into adjusting staffing, systems, and subcontracting arrangements following on from October. We’re also grateful to those of you raising concerns about the sustainability and safety of the implementation. Your GPCE representatives discussed managing pressure, particularly when demand consistently outstrips capacity, and when we inevitably encounter situations where full compliance with the three access modes across the full hours of the day is just not feasible.
To this end, we will be holding two webinars at the end of the month - these will be of most interest to GMS contractors but will be open to all GPs - please sign up below.
This week your elected officer team will be meeting DHSC and NHSE to press on with discussions around the Government’s consultation on the 2026/27 GMS Contract and discussing our recent practice finance survey results, and we shall we following-up again with NHS England the week after too. Following these discussions once a final contract has been proposed, GPC England will vote on the final offer.
The committee also received:
We know how vital these discussions are to the whole profession, we want your feedback and to bring you along with us, so please do join us either over lunch on the Wednesday, or on the Thursday evening:
Practice not to blame for A&E attendances
GPC England chair Dr Katie Bramall recently responded to a Guardian article: Huge rise in number of people in England’s A&Es for coughs or hiccups, 31 December. Dr Bramall said:
England’s general practice meets unsustainable pressures with record productivity: 250,000 additional GP practice appointments are being delivered a day compared with 2019. It is the fall in the number of inpatient beds gumming up the A&E system, not a fall in GPs’ capacity to treat patients.
With that said, we have thousands of GPs looking for NHS work across England right now. Just 105 more GPs could have delivered the 1.9m appointments for people seeking help for headaches that the article mentions who went instead to A&E over the last five years.
We are still 750 GPs short of where we stood a decade ago, with GPs receiving only 34p per patient per day. The government is keen to progress its “neighbourhood” model, but without more GPs and more funding for them, patients won’t see any meaningful change.
Late last Thursday (15 January) NHS England published a press release claiming AI note taking 'could save clinicians up to 2 or 3 minutes for each patient consultation, freeing up more time for them to see other patients'.Practices are reminded of the guidance NHS England publishes and the necessary steps they must take should they choose to make use of these technologies. Patients must be made aware that consultations are recorded for interpretation by computer and their rights of access to any recordings made, and any interim transcripts created by the AVT should be made available for review. Errors, or 'hallucinations', in the AVT output, in addition to immediate correction, should be reported to the MHRA via itsYellow Card reporting scheme.
OpenSAFELY
Practices in England are reminded to continue to activate the OpenSAFELY data analytics service if they haven't yet done so. This service the full support of the BMA and RCGP. Read more >
Power in numbers: uniting sessional GPs for change
3 Feb, 7–8.30pm
This is the second event in our national engagement series created to bring sessional GPs together, amplify your experiences, and ensure your voice drives the BMA’s work on your behalf.
At our first event, you told us the top three issues facing sessional GPs today:
We listened, and this event is all about what the BMA can do to act on your behalf, and the rights you hold as a sessional GP. Register your place >
GP wellbeing resources
A range of wellbeing and support services are available to doctors, and we encourage anybody who is feeling under strain to seek support. Please take a moment to check in on your colleagues’ wellbeing and look out for each other.
Support comes in various forms, from our 24/7 confidential counselling and peer support services and NHS practitioner health service to non-medical support services such as Samaritans. The organisation Doctors in Distress provides mental health support for health workers in the UK, and confidential peer support group sessions.
We have produced a poster with 10 top tips to help maintain and support the wellbeing of your colleagues and yourself.
The Cameron Fund supports GPs and their families in times of financial need, whether through ill health, disability, bereavement, relationship breakdown or loss of employment.
The RCGP also has information on GP wellbeing support.
Please visit the BMA’s wellbeing support services page, refer to our extended directory, or call 0330 123 1245 for the counselling line or peer support.
Read the GPCE bulletin: GPC meeting update | GP contract webinars | ambient voice technologies
As 2025 draws to a close we bring you the last newsletter of the year, updating you on what’s been happening over the past few weeks and looking forward to what the new year may bring.
The approach from Government earlier this month was followed this week by our attendance at the Department of Health, where we met with DHSC, NHSE and Number 10 officials to discuss the 2026/27 GP contract proposals. We spent a significant period of time feeding back on their proposals, robustly articulating the need to protect and promote practices and GP workforce needs to ensure a sustainable and equitable general practice that serves patients and their communities. Our verbal feedback will be followed by detailed written responses and further meetings with them in the new year.
We submitted several high-level papers and counter proposals from our perspective under a series of themes, and in a departure from usual practice, we have published our contract proposals, and they can be accessed on the BMA GPC England contract webpages >
These proposals build on our historical contract asks around the need to restore resourcing levels for general practice and the GP unemployment crisis, and complement several key publications developed to support the profession and practices, working towards hope, safety and stability.
The safe working guidance supports and enables practices to prioritise their delivery of safe, high-quality patient care, within the regulatory and professional expectations of the GMS/PMS contract. Patients first – GPCE’s vision for general practice outlines the essential changes that need to happen to stop the loss of local practices, retain experienced NHS GPs in their surgeries, and to fund practices to take on more GPs and more practice nurses to deliver more appointments. The value of a GP paper sets out the intrinsic value and importance of GPs in affording and securing the nation’s healthcare for the next generation.
Following on from this week’s 2026/27 contract consultation at DHSC, Katie recorded a podcast which covers our thoughts on the process and next year’s contract for GPOnline’s ‘Talking General Practice’.
Lastly, we would like to sincerely thank each and every one of you, your practice staff and teams in continuing to deliver above and beyond, despite the challenges and adversities posed. This effort and commitment to your patients and communities does not stop over the holiday period, and we recognise and appreciate the efforts from all of you in working tirelessly in making this happen.
Wishing you all a very merry Christmas and happy New Year.
| NHSE and DHSC have opened the 'consultation' on their proposed changes to the GMS contract for 2025/26. We have set out our objection to the unilateral decision to change the annual GP contract consultation and negotiation process for 2026/27, breaking with established custom and practice, on behalf of GPC England, GPs and GP registrar members of the BMA and the wider GP profession. We have also provided NHSE/DHSC with a number of high-level proposals relating to our key aims of ensuring patient safety, improving practice funding and reducing GP underemployment. These are necessarily high-level given the imposed changes to the contract processes this year but outline key requirements that are essential to support general practice at this time. Read the proposals > |
OpenSAFELY – action for all EMIS/TPP practices
| NHSE has sent a reminder email on Thursday 18 December to EMIS/TPP practices yet to activate OpenSAFELY, on the back of formal emails sent in July and November. Paper letters have also been sent. These letters and the whole OpenSAFELY data direction should not come as a surprise, we have made repeated reference to it in most of our BMA GP newsletters in recent months! Please remember and remind practice colleagues that OpenSAFELY has the full support of the BMA’s GPC England and the RCGP and it's a legal requirement to comply with the data direction. Read the activation instructions > OpenSAFELY provides vital research for the NHS and delivered public good during the COVID pandemic. The platform is now available for studies beyond COVID. Practices remain data controllers of the underlying GP data, whilst NHS England remains data controller of the results of studies, and oversees all access and governance. |
Save the date: webinars
The GPC England officer team will be hosting a series of webinars in early 2026. A range of topics will be covered including updates regarding contract and policy development, and the latest committee and profession plans and next steps. Further information regarding registration details and additional dates will be provided in the new year, but please note the following for your diary:
Sexual misconduct in the workplace
This month has seen the publication of an update to the NHS England guidance on actions to prevent sexual misconduct in the workplace. This work was published in the wake of historic allegations of sexual abuse at Royal Stoke University Hospital and Russells Hall Hospital, which have been reported in the media. However, there are actions recommended in this update for all NHS employers, and these are important for GPs and their practice teams to be aware of.
Chaperoning policies should be reviewed considering the updated guidance. While there is a clear statement that practices should be able to set their policy according to their needs, and recognition of the challenges we can face in primary care, we would reiterate the need to ensure that all chaperones are formally trained, and used for any intimate examination. In addition, they should be given enough information before chaperoning an intimate examination to ensure they understand why it is necessary. The guidance is clear that in the event of a patient declining a chaperone, a risk assessment should be made as to the clinical safety of the patient and the risk of compromise of professional standards, and postponing the examination may well be a reasonable outcome.
ICBs are tasked in the update to ensure all primary care providers are signed up to the Sexual safety charter with a deadline of 2 February 2026 to contact providers to offer support in completing the assurance checklist in this document. Documenting compliance here is likely to be useful in demonstrating wider compliance with legal duties held by all employers around preventing sexual harassment. Primary care providers are also encouraged to adopt the national sexual misconduct policy that is due for release next month, and ensure staff have accessed the national e-learning on this topic. There is also clear guidance as to reporting incidents of sexual misconduct.
Further information can be found on the NHS England website. We would advise LMCs to be prepared for queries from member practices on the updated guidance, especially in the new year when ICB teams will be enquiring about compliance.
Premises letter
In our latest letter to Karin Smyth MP, we shared findings from the recent GP premises survey. We had written previously and were offered a meeting which we are in the process of arranging. We are hoping to explore a strategic system response with Government to the issue of GP property costs.
The survey, which gathered responses from nearly 2,000 GPs and Practice Managers, (almost one-third of general practices in England), reveals widespread concern about the condition, capacity, and sustainability of GP premises. Notably:
LMC legal advice
As part of ongoing processes planning we are continually seeking and updating legal advice to help support and protect practices and LMCs. Please find the links below for the legal background and briefings which have been previously shared with LMC colleagues, and are provided to help explain current and future contexts around planning and next steps.
Resident doctors’ and GP registrars’ strike action guidance
GP registrars have the full support of GPC England, general practice and the wider profession during the strike action.Read GPC England’s letter of support to GP registrars >
If you or your practice would like to contribute to the strike fund for GP registrars who may need to use it, you can do so >
Read our guidance for practices, LMCs and GP trainers, advising on how practices can support their GP registrars and manage strike days. Read the guidance >
Read also the guidance on striking as a GP registrar >
Covid and flu specifications
NHS England has published a joint COVID and flu specification for 2026. This moves the COVID vaccination programme to a practice level, removing the need for COVID vaccinations to be delivered via a PCN. However, practices will still be able to deliver just the flu programme.
We continue to raise with NHS England the impact that that the lack of uplift to item of service payments is having on the viability of both programmes, with a number of practices informing us that they are closely considering whether to continue participation in the flu programme in future years.
UKHSA guidance on consent for vaccination
The UKHSA has produced further guidance with regards to consent processes and non-registered healthcare professionals in the provision of vaccination. This is following the concerns raised with them over the updated minimum standards in vaccination training and the significant uncertainty that it caused, particularly around the role of HCAs in vaccination clinics.
We are continuing to discuss this issue with the UKHSA and other relevant bodies to develop more expansive guidance.
Survey on sessional GP unemployment
Earlier this year, the sessional GPs committee conducted a survey to capture the full scope of GP underemployment and unemployment across the UK. The findings confirm the severity of the issue:
These findings highlight the urgent need for action to address the GP workforce crisis. The insights from this and previous surveys will continue to be instrumental in shaping our work, strengthening our lobbying efforts and pushing for policy changes.
Power in numbers: uniting sessional GPs for change
3 Feb 2026, 7–8.30pm
This is the second event in our national engagement series created to bring sessional GPs together, amplify your experiences, and ensure your voice drives the BMA’s work on your behalf.
At our first event, you told us the top three issues facing sessional GPs today:
We listened, and this event is all about what the BMA can do to act on your behalf, and the rights you hold as a sessional GP. Register your place >
GP wellbeing resources
A range of wellbeing and support services are available to doctors, and we encourage anybody who is feeling under strain to seek support, such as the BMA’s counselling and peer support services, NHS practitioner health service and non-medical support services such as Samaritans. The organisation Doctors in Distress also provides mental health support for health workers in the UK. We have produced a poster with 10 top tips to help support the wellbeing of you and your colleagues.
The Cameron Fund supports GPs and their families in times of financial need and the RCGP also has information on GP wellbeing support.
Visit the BMA’s wellbeing support services page or call 0330 123 1245 for wellbeing support.
Read the GPCE bulletin: GP contract consultation | safe working guidance | our vision for general practice
Read the latest Sessional GPs newsletter
No more point scoring – let’s prioritise practice wellbeing and patient safety
Yesterday, the Secretary of State for Health, Rt Hon Wes Streeting MP, wrote to all GPs in England. This is an unusual move, and it is in response to the GPC England officer team being firm in stating what we need for NHS general practice and with regards to the new requirements from October 1st, including mitigations for safer management of online consultations that I know a lot of you are really struggling to cope with. We are here to help - if you feel you are getting unfairly pressured by your ICB, please contact your LMC or let us know via info.gpc@bma.org.uk.
In response to the Secretary of State’s letter, the GPC England chair, Dr Katie Bramall said:
“I want to thank the Health Secretary for recognising the hard work of GPs and practice staff. A record 40 million patients used NHS GP services in October. We warned this would happen - current pressures faced by practices are unsafe, unsustainable and need to be addressed. We’re worried that government doesn’t understand that safe, meaningful patient care can only be delivered when practices are supported and resourced. 34p per patient per day – less than the price of an apple – was already inadequate resourcing and the online access policy change further exacerbates this.”
When GPs entered into dispute with the Government on 1st October 2025, it was underpinned by
the very real and present dangers of practices being overwhelmed by unlimited online queries. As the HSSIB (Health Services Safety Investigations Body) said yesterday in relation to electronic patient records, we must be wary that ‘systems which are poorly implemented, difficult to use, or do not meet the needs of staff and organisations can introduce avoidable patient safety risks, which can contribute to serious harm'. They previously published a report on online consultations in July 2025 confirming 'a proactive approach to identifying risks to patient safety must be undertaken'.
GPC England met yesterday on Thursday 27th November where we discussed the current political situation and what our next steps should be. The safety of our patients and working in the best interests of you and your team remains our first concern. We don’t need any further point scoring. We need to work constructively to promote wellbeing in practices and safety for patients. We have repeatedly sought to work with government all year to make their aspirations a safe success but, in recent weeks, attempts have been thwarted by media briefings and nameless sources engaging in attacks on the integrity of the profession. For more information , please see our campaign page.
Our door remains open, and we continue to stand ready to put things right, as is our duty to the staff and patients we represent, to ensure care is safe for patients and practice staff alike, and to now move forward constructively.
We have had an approach today from the Government’s side which is welcomed, and we hope to keep colleagues informed with next steps.
This week, we learned that the government is going to consult on 2026/27 changes to the GP contract more widely. The fact is that relevant stakeholders are consulted in every annual contract cycle to capture a full breadth of views, but we are pleased that the government recognise this is a departure from their usual process.
GPC England may also decide to consult more widely, and we are confident there will be more consensus across various stakeholders than the government perhaps realises, and this provides an excellent opportunity for mutual collaboration.
If it comes to it, we can see how and why the government might want to avoid April 2026 changes being termed a contractual imposition, and there is a risk that they won’t even try to make it palatable, or potentially use the opportunity to deliver what will be a very difficult contract for the profession. We stand ready to deal with all eventualities.
However, the way things stand the government know they will have to engage with GPC England separately regarding the statement of financial entitlements - and they have confirmed that will be the case, so too have they confirmed their commitment to GMS renewal within this Parliament.
We now await with interest what their proposals are for 2026/27 - and we still await to hear back following the sharing of the safety concerns arising from the online consultation survey from over 1,300 practices – 1/5 of all practices in England. Thank you to those who completed this and we are using the data right now. You can read more on it here and below.
Online consultation survey results
Thank you to everyone who took the time to respond to our online consultation survey. More than 1,300 responses were received - one in five practices in England, representing nearly 14 million patients.
The survey showed significant concerns about the GP contract changes relating to online requirements introduced on 1 October 2025. 73% of responding practices said they had to change how they work because of the contract change, and many reported negative effects on both patients and staff. 42% of practices have had to reduce face-to-face appointments, reducing the time patients spend with their GP. 45% of these practices said they’ve had to redeploy staff to accommodate for the changes, and over half had seen a negative effect on patient care. Despite our warning of the risk of patient harm, 74% of practices had seen an increase in workload, 68% reported an increase in stress, and 54% said there was an increase in working hours.
Our current dispute with the Government includes this issue, after it failed to meaningfully engage with GPC England to deliver the necessary safeguards prior to 1 October 2025, as per our conditions to agreeing the terms of the 2025/26 contract.
We have repeatedly said that patient access must be clinically safe. To ensure that happens, practices must retain the ability to manage their consultation systems safely, including when demand exceeds safe capacity, rather than being forced to prioritise convenience over patient need in a woefully under-resourced environment. We urge colleagues to continue using our safe working guidance.
Watch a video of what GPs really think about the online consultation changes
Read more about the survey results and our dispute on the GP contract campaign webpage
BMA analysis of the budget
The Autumn Budget published this week included a range of measures which will likely impact GPs. From the perspective of employers, the National Living Wage, for workers aged 21 and over, is set to rise by 4%. It will be important that additional costs for GPs as employers are reimbursed and we will push for this.
Tax thresholds are being frozen, which will mean employees will pay a greater share of their income in tax as their salaries rise. Alongside the freeze in personal tax rates, the threshold at which employer National Insurance Contributions are paid will also be frozen, again placing upward pressure on GP employer costs.
Higher than expected inflation means that NHS budgets will grow at an even slower rate going forward. £300 million in additional capital investment was announced to support new technologies across the NHS. There was also a commitment to deliver 120 operational Neighbourhood Health Centres by 2030, with the government confirming these would be delivered via a Public Private Partnership funding model.
Pension changes should not affect the vast majority of us as the NHS pension is not a salary sacrifice scheme so the changes announced in the Budget on this aspect will not affect you.
Read the full BMA analysis of the Budget: Budgets and fiscal events - Budget - BMA
OpenSAFELY
Practices using SystmOne or EMIS Web are reminded to activate the NHS OpenSAFELY Data Analytics Service in their clinical systems following the data direction that was issued on 9 June 2025 by the Department of Health & Social Care. We understand NHS England have written to practices this week who are yet to activate to remind them. Instructions are available here. Activation is a legal requirement of the Health and Social Care Act. OpenSAFELY has the full support of the profession.
Neighbourhood Health Services and NHCs (Neighbourhood Health Centres)
The UK Government has announced plans to create 250 new NHCs (Neighbourhood Health Centres) in England, in line with the 10 Year Health Plan. 120 NHCs are intended to be operational by 2030 and are expected to bring a range of services (including general practice, physiotherapy, and others) together in a single ‘co-located’ space, with the stated goal of improving access to care and improving prevention. It remains unclear how these NHCs will interact with existing GP practices and other community services.
The Government also aims to use Public-Private Partnerships to fund the construction of the new NHCs, which has raised serious concerns about repeating the failings and long-term costs of prior Private Finance Initiative programmes. We must not see a repeat of the cripplingly expensive Private Finance Initiative from the 2000s which some parts of the NHS are still paying off with eye watering payments to private companies.
GP wellbeing resources
A range of wellbeing and support services are available to doctors, and we encourage anybody who is feeling under strain to seek support, such as the BMA’s counselling and peer support services, NHS practitioner health service and non-medical support services such as Samaritans. The organisation Doctors in Distress also provides mental health support for health workers in the UK. We have produced a poster with 10 top tips to help support the wellbeing of you and your colleagues.
The Cameron Fund supports GPs and their families in times of financial need and the RCGP also has information on GP wellbeing support.
Visit the BMA’s wellbeing support services page or call 0330 123 1245 for wellbeing support.
Read the GPCE bulletin: Our response to the secretary of state I GP Contract update | online consultation survey
Read the latest Sessional GPs newsletter
