As you may be aware, NHS England is currently running a consultation on contractual options for the proposed Multi and Single Neighbourhood Provider models.
Whilst the BMA will be submitting a response shortly, it has produced guidance for practices and LMCs to help them input into the consultation, summarising the options outlined in the consultation and outlining key issues that they may wish to consider.
Read more about neighbourhood providers and the consultation here
The BMA is aware that in many areas practices may be feeling under pressure to agree to neighbourhood working models. Practices do not have to, and should not be pressured to, sign up to local neighbourhood proposals, especially as such proposals are still under national consultation. If you feel under any such pressure please contact the BMA.
GP collective action in August – raising patient awareness
By now, practices should have received a package of posters as part of the collective action for August. The BMA hopes you’ve already chosen the ones that work best for your practice and displayed them where they’ll have impact; do please send them a photograph of the poster in place.
There are also leaflets in different languages that you can order from the BMA website, as well as short films to display on your reception screens, and graphics add to your practice website and other communications, all ready to download here.
Please do sign the public petition and encourage your patients as well, to show support for general practice and call on the Government to act.
Finally, the BMA encourages practices to write to your MP using their online tool and explain directly the pressures your practice is facing.
Collective action is not stopping. The GPC England officer team is exploring options of escalation of collective action in the coming months.
Taking part in this and any future collective actions will help keep your practice safe. These actions are lawful and do not breach your contract. The new Government has an opportunity to reset relations with the profession, and the door remains open to meaningful negotiations. However, the BMA will continue to press for the changes general practice needs if our concerns are not addressed.
Whilst the investigation heard support for A&G services where they are working well, it also found evidence that poorly designed or inadequately monitored pathways have contributed to physical harm, delayed and missed diagnoses, and in some cases to delays in cancer care.
Since the imposition of the 2026 contract that further embedded the use of A&G in general practice, GPC England has repeatedly raised issues with its implementation, and this report vindicates those concerns, now showing that patients have come to harm as a result of a rushed-out and inconsistently applied process.
Sanofi flu vaccination cancellations
The BMA is aware that some practices have received communications from Sanofi cancelling their flu vaccine orders, due to a manufacturing error. The BMA is liaising with NHS England who are working with suppliers to ensure that sufficient stock will be available.
Health foundation report on GP practice funding
The Health Foundation’s report on GP funding shows that real-terms earnings have dropped over the last 20 years, which confirms any additional funding is going into services, not GP pay.
The report is clear that GP funding is very modest with an average of £169 per patient for a full year of care compared to a single A&E attendance costing a minimum of £114 or an ambulance callout costing around £459. Extra funding is required to provide the appointments and time needed for our patients. GPs are the front door to the NHS, but broken promises from Government on funding have meant we have seen a slow and gradual decline taking general practice to breaking point.
We have lost more than 6,500 full-time GP partners since 2015, despite this GPs are delivering more appointments than ever before with 34 million delivered last month. We are asking the Government for a £50 per patient increase in funding lifting it to £219 per patient per year, allowing GPs to provide enough appointments and the proactive care that is needed.
The BMA sending practices a set of posters by post, along with a range of digital materials that you can download and share, including leaflets that you’ll be able to order in a range of different languages. These resources are designed to help patients understand that GPs want the same things they do: safe and sustainable general practice that delivers high-quality care for everyone. Practices should receive these materials late next week or early the following one. The BMA would appreciate if LMCs could encourage local practices to use the materials.
BMA have launched a major new public petition to show support for general practice and call on the Government to act. Please sign it today and encourage your patients to add their voices too.
In addition, BMA encourages practices to write to their MP using our online tool and explain directly the pressures practices are facing. Hearing directly from GPs will help MPs understand the impact of continued underfunding on practices and patient care, and strengthen BMAs case in negotiations with the Government for the investment and contractual changes general practice urgently needs.
Collective action is not stopping. The GPC England officer team is exploring options of escalation of collective action in the coming months.
Taking part in this and any future collective actions will help keep your practice safe. These actions are lawful, straightforward to implement and do not breach your contract. The new Government and health minister have an opportunity to reset relations with the profession, and the door remains open to meaningful negotiations. However, BMA will continue to press for the changes general practice needs if concerns are not addressed.
This action may reduce the liabilities on a partnership, and it will impact integrated care systems and the wider NHS Government agenda which is increasingly seeing a ‘left shift’ of work from hospitals into practices, without any commensurate resource to meet the challenge.
Action for practices:
Send the template letter to your local ICB, indicating you will stop agreeing to voluntary secondary uses data sharing agreements (DSAs) from May 2026. (The letter has been reviewed by the BMA legal team and an external leading KC Counsel – it is lawful, and it is not defamatory.)
Taking part in this action will both help your practice stay safe and put further pressure on the Government to build on the progress made and secure safeguards for practices to be able to deliver their GMS contract safely. The action is straightforward and does not breach your contract.
Access BMA guidance on the campaign page with the latest updates and guidance about the 26/27 contract changes and our dispute with Government, to help support you and your practices.
Central to the ongoing collective action that began in May was practices sending a letter to their ICB: asking them to assess each existing DSA your practice is currently signed up to while indicating you will stop agreeing to voluntary secondary uses data sharing agreements (DSAs). Access the two template letters on the BMA resource page on Collective Action.
Post-exposure vaccination for Rabies
BMA is continuing to meet with NHS England and UKHSA to discuss the approach to post-exposure vaccination and treatment of potential Rabies cases.
Under the definition of vaccination services set out within the Regulations, BMA does not believe that GP provision of post-exposure rabies vaccination is a specific contractual requirement, although in some areas there may be local agreements in place to contract and fund this work, outside of national GMS arrangements. As with any services provided under the broader definition of essential Services, it is up to the practice to determine how that should be delivered, including referral to more appropriate speciality services (see further guidance).
Similarly, there may be occasional requests for practices to provide irrigation of wounds with human rabies immunoglobin (HRIG). This requires appropriate training/experience to minimise the potential for patient harm, and BMA believe that this should be referred to an appropriate service.
Neighbourhood arrangements
BMA is aware that in many areas practices may be feeling under pressure to agree to new neighbourhood working models, and with the announcement of the consultation on neighbourhood models, there is increasing uncertainty and concern. BMA would like to reassure practices that they do not have to, and should not be pressured to, sign up to local neighbourhood proposals. There must be full and meaningful engagement with practices and LMCs to ensure there is appropriate governance in place as well as ring-fenced budgets for key areas especially around resourcing left shift of work, protections around sharing confidential data and proper utilisation of estates.
In June 2026, NHS employed the equivalent of 29,008 fully qualified full-time GPs. Despite a slight rise in numbers since 2023, GP practices still employ 356 fewer fully qualified FTE GPs than they did in 2015. There has also been a decrease of 1,474 practices, whilst patient numbers have continued rising: as of June 2026, 63.4 million patients were registered with practices in England – an average of 10,316 per practice. As a result, each full-time equivalent GP is responsible for an average of 2,187 patients; an increase of 249 patients per GP since 2015.
Ensuring the efficient supply and distribution of medicines to patients
The Department for Health and Social Care has published a guidance document Ensuring the efficient supply and distribution of medicines to patients. This sets out best practice to ensure the efficient supply of medicines to patients and to minimise the risk of shortages. It does not place any new requirements on those who supply, procure or dispense NHS medicines.
BMA, along with other stakeholders, has endorsed this guidance.
The BMA want to take this opportunity to introduce the new GPCE team. Many of you will already have seen the email and video from the new GPC England Chair, Dr Clare Bannon, that went out at the end of last week. Clare is now joined by Dr Manu Agrawal, Dr David Wrigley and Dr Shan Hussain as Deputy chairs of GPCE (see their information below). In their first week they have taken GPC England feedback on the way forward and view around collective action. The BMA have all heard the calls for a clear ask and clear, strong, collective action. The BMA will be meeting with NHSE, DHSC and Ministers over the coming weeks. Whilst they are clear this is an opportunity for a fresh start, the BMA are also clear that General practice needs a substantial increase in funding, the initial ask is for £40 per patient per year alongside contract reform.
The BMA will be consolidating the collective actions already in place with patient facing materials, being sent to every practice. This will give your new GPCE team an opportunity to have initial discussions with government, as you discuss current issues with your patients over the next 6 weeks. Their initial priorities are assurances that all money underspent through list verification are returned to front line GP patient care, and that NHS England produces clear guidance around the requirements for local GP agreement to referral pathways and referral forms. If these issues are not resolved quickly the BMA are working on strong collective action that practices and their GPs can take in the coming months.
Dr Manu Kishore Agrawal is an experienced GP Partner, PCN Clinical Director and Chair of the South Staffordshire Local Medical Committee (LMC). As a newly elected Deputy Chair of the BMA’s General Practitioners Committee for England (GPCE) and dedicated advocate for the GP Partnership model, his main focus is stabilising practices by campaigning to increase core GMS funding.
Dr Shan Hussain is a GP partner based in Nottinghamshire and has worked as a GP for 19 years. He has previously served on the BMA Council and as Chair of Nottinghamshire’s Local Medical Committee. He is presently the elected GPC representative for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
Dr David Wrigley has been a GP partner in Carnforth, north Lancashire for over 20 years – a railway town. His practice is semi-rural across a huge geographical area of north Lancashire/south Cumbria, with five branch surgeries. Dr Wrigley has been a BMA activist for over 20 years and started out on the GP Registrars Committee and then had a regional seat on GPC for many years. He is also currently a member of BMA UK Council, vice chair of Morecambe Bay LMC and has been a chief officer and deputy chair of BMA Council.
Neighbourhoods update
The BMA are aware that in many areas practices may be feeling under pressure to agree to new neighbourhood working models, and with the announcement of the consultation on neighbourhood models announced this week, there is increasing uncertainty and concern. The newly elected Officer Team for GPC England are keen to make this a focus over the coming months and will be producing further guidance for practices over how to engage with these proposals in a way that protects themselves and their patients.
In the meantime, the BMA would like to reassure practices that they do not have to, and should not be pressured to, sign up to local neighbourhood proposals. There must be full and meaningful engagement with practices and LMCs to ensure there is appropriate governance in place as well as ring-fenced budgets for key areas especially around resourcing left shift of work, protections around sharing confidential data and proper utilisation of estates. Read their update
Collective action for practices in July – refusing new requests for shared care
The BMA are asking practices to refuse all new requests for shared care where these are not appropriatelyresourced. GPs and Practices should not accept new informal arrangements and should only enter them where terms are clear, clinically safe, and adequately resourced. The BMA also encourage practices to work with their LMCs and use this as an opportunity to review any existing arrangements, check that protocols remain up to date, clarify responsibilities, identify prescribing that takes place without formal agreements, and ensure that prescribing, monitoring and recall systems are robust and consistent.
Taking part in this action is lawful. Shared care arrangements are voluntary. GPs must only enter into them when they can provide care safely, have adequate resources, and have clear agreements in place that clearly set out responsibilities for everyone involved.
Without these safeguards, practices will likely struggle to deliver shared care safely while continuing to meet the wider needs of their registered patients.
Central to the ongoing collective action that began in May was practices sending a letter to their ICB: asking them to assess each existing DSA your practice is currently signed up to while indicating you will stop agreeing to voluntary secondary uses data sharing agreements (DSAs).
Across England, practices are witnessing an unprecedented acceleration in patient list cleansing. What might appear to be a routine administrative exercise has rapidly become one of the most significant financial and operational challenges facing general practice this year. There is not only a financial impact on practices, but it may also be restricting patient access, especially for more vulnerable groups.
GPC England wrote to Minister Kinnock to raise our concerns, but have only received limited reassurances about the process.However, he has confirmed that funding released from this activity will be reinvested in general practice services and we are continuing to discuss with NHS England how this will be done. If your practice has seen a significant reduction in income from this process, please contact info.gpc@bma.org.uk with details.
The BMA media team are also looking for case studies and would like to hear from practices that have been adversely affected or from patients that have been erroneously removed. Please email Travis Yearwood tyearwood@bma.org.uk in the media team for further information.
UK LMC Conference news
The resolutions from the UK LMC Conference held in Belfast on 13-15 May have now been published.
Collective Action & Collective Thank You from GPC England Chair Dr Katie Bramall
Three years ago, I set out with three simple demands of government: give us and our patients safety, stability and hope. We leave with much still to do, but with a profession that is more organised, more engaged and more informed than it has been for many years. In this week’s Talking General Practice podcast, I speak about my decision not to stand for re-election when our three-year term ends next week, and the highs and lows of an extraordinary three years for general practice, and what my departure may mean for the ongoing dispute with the government.
Together, we built the evidence base through engagement and surveys; published guidance, handbooks and our vision; reinstated DDRB evidence for GPs in England; oversaw a BMA membership cleanse of all records ahead of the first referendum in Spring 2024 where over 19,000 GPs voted 99% against the government’s contract imposition. This was followed by the online and in-person roadshows countrywide and the non-statutory ballot of GP contractors which gave us a 68% turnout of a 98.3% mandate to proceed. We saw 4000 new GP members join the BMA, secured the largest investment into GMS since 2004, and achieved unprecedented engagement from the profession, with tens of thousands of GPs participating in ballots, referendums and roadshows across England.
This month, you will receive our final piece of work: posters arriving in the post at your surgery for an open patient letter to government, highlighting how fragile continuity of GP care is without sustained further investment.
Alongside this, we produced documents which informed policy in all four nations, whilst seeking to equip practices with practical tools to survive and thrive: authoritative guidance spanning contracts, finance, safe working, AI, online consulting, data sharing, shared care, waiting lists, demand and capacity, premises, underemployment and much more; landmark surveys creating an enduring evidence base; and public campaigns reminding the nation of the extraordinary value of general practice.
This has been a team effort, impossible without my deputy chairs Samira Anane, David Wrigley and Julius Parker – not to mention the BMA staff and GPC England itself, with LMCs nationwide, and above all, you and the thousands of GPs who chose to engage, contribute and stand together. General practice remains under immense pressure, but it is no longer standing still. I leave confident that the strongest legacy of these past three years is a profession that has rediscovered its collective voice and its willingness to use it.
It has been the greatest privilege of my professional life to serve as Chair of the England GP Committee.
Thank you.
Dr Katie Bramall
GPC England chair
New Collective Action for practices in July – refusing new requests for shared care
BMA is asking GPs and practices to refuse all new requests for shared care where these are not appropriately resourced. GPs and Practices should not accept new informal arrangements and should only enter them where terms are clear, clinically safe, and adequately resourced. BMA also encourages practices to work with their LMCs and use this as an opportunity to review any existing arrangements, check that protocols remain up to date, clarify responsibilities, identify prescribing that takes place without formal agreements, and ensure that prescribing, monitoring and recall systems are robust and consistent.
Taking part in this action is lawful. Shared care arrangements are voluntary. GPs must only enter into them when they can provide care safely, have adequate resources, and have clear agreements in place that clearly set out responsibilities for everyone involved. Without these safeguards, practices will likely struggle to deliver shared care safely while continuing to meet the wider needs of their registered patients.
Practice action this month:
BMA is asking practices to raise your concerns about the current contract and the future of general practice directly with your local MP – who will shortly go into parliamentary recess for the summer and have more time in their constituency. It is the ideal moment for practices to co-ordinate a letter-writing campaign and we have tried to make this as simple as possible for you with our online tool.
You can use this tool to write to your MP and urge them to support their local practices by holding government to account. The letter calls on MPs to raise our concerns directly with government asking them to address the issues we have raised regarding safety, funding and data and demand they work with us to resolve them for our patients and the future of general practice.
Patient action this month:
Your practice will very soon be receiving copies of posters for your surgery reception, waiting rooms and consultation rooms inviting patients to sign an open letter to Government to invest in more GPs and better premises to guarantee the future of patients’ ability to access general practice. In essence the letter explains the increasing demand, where we see 1.5 million of the daily 1.7 million NHS total patient care; how we have lost 20% of practices since 2015; and the growing Doctor:Patient ratio from 1900 a decade ago, to 2,200 now. It highlights how GMS is funded at 36p per day per patient – less than the price of an apple. It calls on patients to support their GP practice in fighting for high quality continuity of care in a surgery you know, with a team you trust.
Have you followed up with your ICB about data sharing?
Central to the ongoing collective action that began in May was practices sending a letter to their ICB:
asking them to assess each existing DSA your practice is currently signed up to while indicating you will stop agreeing to voluntary secondary uses data sharing agreements (DSAs).
GPC England sent letters to all ICBs on 1 July seeking urgent clarification on the extent of GP data use within local instances of the Palantir-powered Federated Data Platform. Following reports that GP data was being ingested at scale, GPCE is seeking to understand the basis on which this data is being used and what, if any, data sharing agreements are being used to underpin it. The letter and responses will provide better insight into how local data flows are being set up to support the FDP and enable practices to determine how best to protect the data of their patients.
Help build a case for CQC reform
GPC England is supporting colleagues at RCGP to gather evidence from members about their experiences of CQC inspections and assessments and has heard a range of concerns from GPs across the country, but clearer understanding is needed, of how representative these experiences are and where the greatest challenges lie.
To help do this, a short survey that should take less than 10 minutes to complete is linked below. The evidence you provide will be invaluable in informing collective discussions with the CQC, Government and wider system partners as reforms are developed. The more responses GPC receives, the stronger the case for change will be.
Oliver McGowan Training
Concerns have been raised about the way that Oliver McGowan training is currently delivered.
BMA knows that GPs are committed to providing the highest standards of care to people with learning disabilities and autism, but reports from GPs suggest considerable inconsistency on the quality of training that is currently provided across the country, particularly given the importance of GPs using their time effectively. BMA has raised these initial concerns with NHS England. They are keen to understand the issues better and will be discussing them further soon. BMA will keep the profession updated with any developments.
FP69s, list cleansing and the £40 million question
Across England, practices are witnessing an unprecedented acceleration in patient list cleansing. What might appear to be a routine administrative exercise has rapidly become one of the most significant financial and operational challenges facing general practice this year.
Over the past six months alone, GP practice lists have fallen by 344,000 patients. At current Global Sum rates, that represents more than £40 million removed from core general practice funding at a time when practices are already operating on razor-thin margins.
As Dr Helen Salisbury recently observed in the BMJ, “While no one argues that practices should be funded for patients who have genuinely moved away, the consequences of large-scale list reductions cannot be ignored. These deductions translate directly into lost clinical capacity, reduced staffing flexibility and increased financial instability.”
The current exercise differs from previous list validation programmes in both scale and speed. Writing to Primary Care Minister Stephen Kinnock this week, BMA has expressed serious concerns that patients are now being given just three months to respond before removal, rather than the six months traditionally allowed. The result is not only a more abrupt financial shock for practices, but also a heightened risk that vulnerable patients are incorrectly removed from their registered GP.
Those most likely to be affected are often those least able to navigate administrative processes: older people, patients with learning disabilities, those with limited English proficiency, and individuals with unstable housing arrangements. Many may never receive correspondence, may mistake it for a scam, or simply fail to appreciate the consequences of not responding. Meanwhile, practices are having to scrutinise hundreds of proposed deductions, creating a substantial additional administrative burden. Time and resources that should be focused on patient care are instead being diverted into checking lists and attempting to prevent inappropriate removals.
The profession is entitled to ask some difficult questions. What assessment was undertaken of the impact on vulnerable patients and health inequalities before this programme was accelerated? Why was the response period shortened? And perhaps most importantly, where is the funding going? The money removed through list cleansing is core GMS funding. If patient lists are being corrected, then the corresponding resources should be transparently recycled back into Global Sum so that funding continues to follow patient need. Yet GPC England has received little clarity about whether these savings will be reinvested in general practice.
Accurate patient data matters, but so does patient safety, practice stability and public trust. At a time when general practice is being asked to deliver more than ever with finite resources, list cleansing cannot become a backdoor mechanism for reducing investment in frontline care. BMA will continue to press for urgent discussions with government and NHS England on the impact of this exercise and to seek assurances that both patients and practices are protected from unintended harm.
During June, BMA is asking practices to remove or ignore any non-contractual medicines optimisation softwareand amend your choices of acute prescription, which may fall outside the remit of the ICB formulary.
This may include, for example, issuing a branded or liquid formulation that may still be a perfectly acceptable and justifiable choice for the care of the patient in front of you in the consultation.
Taking part in this action is lawful.
The BMA know some of you may have this software added onto your system or prescribing incentives as part of a locally commissioned service, and your LMC may be able to advise you as to the position in your local area.
BMA recognises that many of you may have kept medicine optimisation software switched off since it was part of the 2024 collective action so focus on your acute prescribing choices. Ensure safe prescribing decisions are determined by you, rather than driven by the financial imperatives of the DHSC which is refusing to amend the undeliverable imposed 2026/27 GMS contract.
Prescribe whatever may be in the best interests of your patient in line with GMC guidance. Your patients will see minimal impact and will receive a prescription appropriate for their clinical presentation. The impacts on ICB prescribing budgets will be dwarfed by Acute Trust overspend, which is perpetually ‘written off’ by Government.
If you haven’t already, please send May’s template letter to your local system to assess each existing DSA the practice is currently signed up to, while indicating you will examine voluntary secondary use DSA from May 2026.
Many practices have now received responses from their ICB, and BMA has drafted a second template for practices to use where they have received a stock response from their ICB (this response will contain an early paragraph starting ‘As you note’ and a header ‘The limited ICB role’). Practices should carefully consider each part of the template and determine whether or not to include it in any response they provide to their ICB. Please send this template when you receive a response from your ICB.
Taking part in this action does not breach your contract and will help practices to stay safe and put pressure on the Government to secure safeguards for practices.
Parliamentary Early Day Motion Future of GP services in England
A number of MPs, led by primary sponsor Ian Byrne MP, have tabled a parliamentary Early Day Motion (EDM) on future GP services in England. An EDM is a parliamentary motion which includes a statement and ask of government which MPs sign to show their support. The EDM references GPCE’s motion on a Plan B, or an alternative strategy for general practice. It raises concerns about the motion as well as the current workloads facing GPs and calls on the Government to address the concerns of GPs and ensure the future of general practice in England as a comprehensive service available to all free at the point of need.
Time limited Men B vaccination programme in Community Pharmacy
Following this, and the recent extension of childhood flu vaccination for community pharmacy, BMA has written to NHSE and DHSC to raise concerns with the strategic direction of vaccination services in England, and reaffirm the critical central role of General Practice in vaccination services and protecting the nation’s health across the population.
QOF Obesity Indicator OB005
GPC England has produced guidance for practices on QOF indicator OB005, following its introduction as part of the imposed changes for 2026/27. We have serious concerns about the financial viability of achieving the associated QOF points, given the workload implications involved, and are extremely disappointed by reports from across England that ICBs have withdrawn locally commissioned services for prescribing and monitoring of Tirzepatide following the introduction of these indicators, which the BMA repeatedly highlighted and cited as a concern and possibility during the 2026/27 contract consultation on the proposed changes.
BMA has written to NHS England to raise these concerns and are continuing to discuss the situation.
GPC England has welcomed NHS England’s decision to extend the current national funding arrangement for the EMIS Web dispensing module until 31 March 2027, providing much-needed certainty for dispensing practices across England.
The agreement follows sustained engagement by GPCE on behalf of dispensing practices, many of which serve rural, remote and coastal communities where timely access to medicines is critical for patients.
Under the extension, practices will see no immediate change to existing funding arrangements or practice-facing charges, ensuring continuity of service and avoiding additional financial pressures in the short term. During this period, NHSE has also committed to working with system suppliers and representative bodies to consider future approaches to the funding of dispensing modules.
Supporting salaried and locum GPs: Know your rights
Many salaried and locum GPs are facing increasing pressure, often without clear information about their entitlements, what fair working arrangements should look like, or where to turn when issues arise. Over the next six weeks, BMA will be sharing a series of updates, tools and resources designed to help you better understand your rights at work and feel more confident navigating challenges in your role.
As part of this, they have developed dedicated ‘Know your rights’ checklists for both locum and salaried GPs. These practical tools are designed to help you identify when something isn’t quite right, and guide you towards the support and advice you may need.
GP registrar communications on resident doctor’s deal to be put to resident BMA members
The BMA’s Resident Doctor Committee Executive has voted to call off strike action that had been scheduled to take place 15 – 19 June to give members opportunity to have their say on the offer. GP registrars are included in this. The main changes that are included in this offer for GP registrars is:
The GP Flexible Play Premia will no longer be termed a hard to fill flexible pay premia but has been renamed to GP Registrar Enhancement which recognises its original purpose: to protect financial disadvantage when training in GP.
Nodal point reform which results in separate pay for each year of training e.g. ST1/2/3 and 4 if applicable
Exams, membership and portfolio costs covered
Having carefully considered the offer and specific benefits for GP registrars, the GPRC voted to recommend that GP registrar members accept this offer in the referendum that runs from 18 – 26 June. For more information as to why GPRC is recommending GPRs vote to accept this offer, please read Dr Salazar’s email to registrars here.
GPRC extends a thank you to practices, staff, GPs and trainers for the support in achieving these objectives for our members.
PM Revive Practice Management Conference.Calling all practices to support your Practice Managers, Business Managers or Deputy/Assistant Practice Managers in gaining some all important CPD!
Bold Ideas. Brilliant Speakers. One Unmissable Conference. Experience PM Revive 2026 – Book now!
Collective Action Resources.See below for the National BMA update on Collective Action. We previously shared the first part of Action 1 with yo. We will be able to support you further into the process when practices hear from the ICB as a result of sending the template letter. Please feel free to copy us in when you send the letter to the ICB.
Collective action against new GP contract – update
The GPs Committee for England (GPCE) met yesterday, 21 May, to discuss all the issues we currently face as well as the next steps of our collective action given the imposed contract we are working under since April 2026.
The next action, from 1 June is where we ask you to remove or ignore any non-contractual medicines optimisation software, and amend your choices of acute prescriptions which may fall outside the remit of the ICB formulary. E.g. Issuing a branded or liquid formulation may still be a perfectly acceptable and justifiable choice for the care of the patient in front of you in the consultation. This action would not go so far as to breach any regulations pertaining to you or your contract. We know some of you may have this software added onto your system as part of a locally commissioned service and we will issue more guidance in the first week of June, unless action can be averted by Government. Your LMC will also be able to advise further on this in due course. We are not asking you to take this action now, but will write to you again in June, if this planned escalation cannot be averted.
After Wes Streeting’s resignation, we have written to the new Health Secretary, Rt Hon James Murray MP, to request an urgent meeting to resolve the current dispute arising from the imposed 2026/27 GP contract. Read the BMA statement in response.
An aspect of considerable concern is the new Health Bill going through Parliament which was announced in the recent King’s speech. The main issue before us is a proposed Single Patient Record (SPR) containing all of our GP notes. Our politicians seem to be seeking considerable oversight and control of this data from what we have seen in the initial documents published. Confidentiality of our patient’s data is of course fundamental to the patient- doctor relationship and any hint of politicians using this data for their own or commercial purposes will lead to a lack of patient trust. Any good intentions are obscured by the power grab and the complete lack of protections for patients. You may wish to read this briefing from MedConfidential
The committee has serious concerns about this Bill, and the BMA will be fully analysing the legislation and making our views known about the significant concerns we have.
This action may reduce the liabilities on a partnership, and it will impact integrated care systems and the wider NHS Government agenda which is increasingly seeing a ‘left shift’ of work from hospitals into practices, without any commensurate resource to meet the challenge.
Action for practices:
Send the template letter to your local ICB, indicating you will stop agreeing to voluntary secondary uses data sharing agreements (DSAs) from May 2026. (The letter has been reviewed by the BMA legal team and an external leading KC Counsel – it is lawful, and it is not defamatory.)
Taking part in this action will both help your practice stay safe and put further pressure on the Government to build on the progress made and secure safeguards for practices to be able to deliver their GMS contract safely. The action is straightforward and does not breach your contract.
Access our guidance on our campaign page with the latest updates and guidance about the 26/27 contract changes and our dispute with Government, to help support you and your practices.
The LMC UK Conference was held in Belfast, Northern Ireland between 13 & 15 May and brought together GPs from across the UK.
The Conference included debates on issues such as safe working limits to GP access, advice and guidance (A&G), harmful Google reviews of practices, and looking at a ‘Plan B’ that allow GPs to provide private services to their NHS patients.
In her speech, Dr Katie Bramall, Chair of GPC England, highlighted that:
‘Understanding precisely who has access to patient information, for what purpose, under what safeguards, and with what accountability. That is why the BMA England GP committee has initiated collective action around data sharing agreements.’
The conference resolutions will be available on the BMA website shortly.
Rebuild General Practice petition
General practice is the front door to the NHS — but it is under increasing pressure. Patients are finding it harder to access care, and GPs are struggling to provide the continuity and quality of care they were trained to deliver.
Rebuild General Practice has launched a petition calling on government to restore capacity, protect continuity of care, and secure the future of the family doctor model. You can sign the petition here
NHS Workforce Plan
The Financial Times has received a leaked draft of the government’s new workforce plan, which was due to be released imminently – although the status of the plan is now unclear following the Secretary of State’s resignation. It reports that the government’s plan centres around increasing healthcare productivity – including through the use of AI and neighbourhood-based care – to cope with the hundreds of thousands of fewer staff than was envisaged under the previous workforce plan.
New measures would downgrade annual staffing increases to 1.1 – 2 %, suggesting that up to 380,000 fewer people will be working in the NHS in the mid-2030s than previously forecast. To support the government’s intention to move care closer to home, the plan says that up to 49,000 more GPs will be needed by 2035.
The BMA has issued a press release warning against placing a dangerous emphasis on AI at the expense of adequate workforce growth.
GP Registrars and trainers demand action on FourteenFish
The GP registrars committee (GPRC) remain concerned about the ongoing issues with the FourteenFish ePortfolio platform, including the withdrawal of the Consult function and wider operational problems following changes introduced by Optum.
Over recent months, GP registrars, trainers and TPDs have experienced the negative impact these changes are having on training, WPBAs, consultation recording, SCA preparation and progression towards ARCP. Therefore, GPRC have launched a petition for GP registrars and trainers, that calls for:
urgent mitigations to address the impact of ongoing platform issues;
express serious concerns about Optum’s ability to provide a reliable and sustainable service that meets the needs of GP registrars and trainers;
call on the RCGP to engage with registrars on the long-term future of the ePortfolio platform, including consideration of alternative provision models.
We’d encourage all GP registrars and trainers who are concerned, to sign the petition.
Cameron Fund – the GPs’ own charity
The Cameron Fund is the GPs’ own charity, the only medical charity which solely supports GP and their families in times of financial need, whether through ill-health, disability, bereavement, relationship breakdown or loss of employment.
To be eligible for assistance applicants must have worked as an NHS GP for at least one year, and ST3 GP Registrars can apply for interest-free loans for exams. The help is usually a monthly grant towards essential family living expenses, and by referring applicants to a Money Adviser who advises on benefits, debts and budgeting.
Over recent years there has been increase in GPs needing help, whilst the Cameron Fun income has struggled to keep pace. Half the income comes from the original investment fund, and it relies on donations from LMCs and individual GPs for the rest.
Find out how you can apply for help, or how you can help by donating: www.cameronfund.org.uk
Changes to Universal Credit payments
On 6 April 2026 the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) made changes to Universal Credit payments, meaning that patients who are assessed to meet the Severe Conditions Criteria will receive the highest benefit entitlement. These criteria will be used to identify those with the most severe, lifelong health conditions or disabilities, who are unlikely to improve, and those who are not expected to ever be able to work.
When making a claim, if they think they meet the Severe Conditions Criteria, patients will be asked to send DWP any supporting medical evidence they already have.
DWP does not expect GPs and their teams to do any additional work for this new Criteria. In the event that a patient requests evidence from a GP team to support their claim, please advise them that the DWP, if they need it, will request any further information they require from the patient directly in the standard way. There is no need to provide any additional evidence directly to patients.
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Weight loss medication.We have created a patient facing poster for you to share with your patients should you receive questions about eligible cohorts. We have also created a sample template letter for you to use, should any non-eligible patients be signposted to you by local Trusts.
Collective Action Resources.See below for the National BMA update on Collective Action. We have shared action 1 with you in the first instance, with more information to follow in the coming weeks.
As of 1 May, we are urging GP partners and practices to take part in collective action, given Government’s insufficient assurances regarding our concerns over the 2026/27 GP contract. Practices are working in crisis-level environments, where every day feels ‘exceptional’ in terms of unlimited demand outstripping available workforce capacity. Being placed in a position where delivering an imposed contract is an impossibility for too many, with the subsequent rationing of care, is unreasonable and unsafe.
Therefore, GPC England is recommending one single action for May, focusing on the flow of GP patient data outside practices, in the form of practice data sharing agreements (DSAs).
This action may reduce the liabilities on a partnership. The letter has been reviewed by BMA Law and an external leading KC Counsel – it is lawful, and it is not defamatory.
We foresee that it will be welcomed by the public, keen for greater transparency that will strengthen the trust between GPs and patients.
Nevertheless, it will impact integrated care systems and the wider NHS Government agenda which is increasingly seeing a ‘left shift’ of work from hospitals into practices, without any commensurate resource to meet the challenge.
Why this Action letter?
This is the first letter in a sequence, so you need to embed this foundation enquiry stage, in order to be able to ‘up the ante’ next month, should Government fail to provide sufficient concessions to the imposed 2026/27 GMS contract.
This letter highlights to DHSC/NHSE and ICBs the extent that our GP patient data is relied upon. We recognise that ICBs may have ‘bundled together’ numbers of DSAs historically, and this provides an opportunity for ICBs to prove that their records are accurate, given the recent system architecture changes.
It provides partnerships and practices with a ‘housekeeping’ opportunity to ensure the practice is fully up to date, and that all active DSAs have all necessary DPIAs are in place from an information governance perspective.
ICBs rely on GP partners, who over decades have created arguably the most valuable longitudinal data set in the western world, to share their data – often for no financial return at all. This places Partnerships in a strong leverage position, especially if it should come to light that system processes have been lacking, e.g. in guaranteeing the care for patients who have opted-out of data sharing will not be affected.
It shows the rest of the NHS how practice partnerships hold considerable power and influence in the success or failure of the current NHS, its neighbourhood planning, and the Government’s priorities to use GP patient data in the Single Care Record. We are anticipating that this will become prominent and newsworthy next week in the Health Bill to be announced in the King’s Speech to the State Opening of Parliament on Wednesday 13 May.
It demonstrates that our c6,250 practices are willing to act en masse with the BMA to up the ante and use this leverage to secure concessions to the GMS contract. Should ICBs default to a weak standardised DHSC/NHSE drafted response, this may demonstrate incompetence and potential concern that they have failed to take the necessary and lawful steps which are their duty as the data processor.
Remember – this is a private request from a practice to its commissioner. It isn’t going to be published anywhere, but should practices receive inadequate responses in their 1000s, then that likely will become a headline the BMA can use with the mainstream press to demonstrate the lack of suitability of the Government to potentially wrest control of patient data from GP Partners in the future. All the while, the Practice Partnership is demonstrating its understanding of its duties as Data Controller for the GP Record, and its sound governance.
If you have active DSAs in place, you may want to know exactly where your GP patient data is going, and for what purpose – your patients also deserve to know in line with their rights within GDPR.
Action for practices:
Send the template letter to your local ICB, indicating you will stop agreeing to voluntary secondary uses data sharing agreements (DSAs) from May 2026.
We appreciate the vulnerable position that practices are in and have sought a legal view to ensure that the wording in the letter ensures that practices continue to be compliant with requirements placed on them by the ICB and NHSE. You are of course free to amend as you see fit and your LMC may be able to assist in this, but it is neither unlawful nor defamatory so please be assured.
Initiate a conversation within your practice and PCN ahead of your patient participation groups (PPG).
We have also prepared the following resources to help practices understand the bigger picture, become more informed and to increase understanding in why all practices need to take part in this collective action:
Taking part in this action will both help your practice stay safe and put further pressure on the Government to build on the progress made and secure safeguards for practices to be able to deliver their GMS contract safely. The proposed collective action for May does not breach your contract and is a straightforward and simple initial step to follow. You do not need to be BMA members to send this letter, so please share across your PCN and locality to secure collective action.
We will be seeking to continue negotiations with Government in the weeks ahead. GPC England meets on Thursday 21 May, which provides another opportunity for Government to de-escalate collective action and heed our genuine concerns to safeguard practices going forward.
Following the imposed contract changes on 1 April, we would recommend that practices review and prepare for the implementation of the 2026/27 contract. See our lates guidance:
For more information, please view our GP Contract and campaign page with the latest updates and guidance about the 26/27 contract changes and our dispute with Government, to help support you and your practices.
Your GPCs and their dispensing negotiations
The Dispensing Doctors Association (DDA) has published a podcast, where GPC England chair Dr Katie Bramall joins Scottish and Welsh colleagues Al Miles and Ian Harris speaking to the DDA about their progress towards achieving a sustainable dispensing contract in Wales, Scotland and England.
Take a simple but powerful step: sign our UK Parliament petition calling on Government to make the NHS easier for patients and GPs to navigate. The RCGP joint report with the Patients Association revealed many patients struggle to know where to turn, track referrals, or understand their care pathways. This is a systemic issue requiring system-wide change. This petition calls for clearer pathways, timely information, and better access to general practice. Sign and share this petition to help turn evidence into action: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/762586
Rebuild General Practice petition
General practice is the front door to the NHS — but it is under increasing pressure. Patients are finding it harder to access care, and GPs are struggling to provide the continuity and quality of care they were trained to deliver.
Rebuild General Practice has launched a petition calling on government to restore capacity, protect continuity of care, and secure the future of the family doctor model. You can sign the petition here
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. BMA knows how many of you are struggling with this without any safeguards or resources.
Should these conditions not be met by 30 April, BMA has been clear we reserve the right to immediately escalate to collective action. Read more on the campaign page. Read the news story here.
BMA has 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.
BMA will update you very soon on the next steps with regards to the contract and discussions with the Government.
Imposed contract changes – guidance
Following the imposed contract changes on 1 April, BMA recommends 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 GP Contract and campaign page which contains the latest updates about the 26/27 contract changes and dispute with Government, as well as links to guidance to help support you and your practices.
QRISK 2
BMA has 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.
2026/27 GP contract changes webinar recording 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, BMA 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 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).
The DDRB uplift also affects PCN funding. ARRS reimbursements will be uplifted in accordance with pay body review recommendations (3.5% for GPs and 3.3% for other staff), and enhanced access funding will also increase to reflect the 3.5% uplift.
The uplift brings total GP contract funding (including core and PCN funding) to just under £14bn for 2026/27.
Currently, GPCE is awaiting confirmation from NHSE that the DDRB uplift will also be applied to education allowances, GP trainer grants, GP fellowship funding, and the GP educator pay scale. The dispensing fee scales will be uplifted as is usual in October 2026.
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, BMA is 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. BMA will explain how the BMA can support you in enforcing your workplace terms and conditions. Register for the event here.
Update from GPC England and contract referendum results
Huge heartfelt thanks to all of you who voted in the referendum and spread the word.
The BMA heard you loud and clear: 98.9% of you voted NO, opting to reject the Government’s imposed changes to the 2026/27 contract Read the press release >
GPCE (GPs committee England) met last Thursday following the close of the referendum. In response to the ballot outcome, GPCE members considered the next steps following a letter received at the 11th hour from health and social care secretary Wes Streeting where he indicated a willingness to return to negotiations over a new GMS contract.
GPCE members voted to resume discussions provided that contractual proposals around changes to advice and guidance/advice and refer services were paused, and mitigations put in place around unlimited unsafe same-day urgent care once practices had reached their limits.
Should these not be met by 30 April, GPCE communicated reserving the right to escalate to collective action beyond this date. Read more >
1 April contract changes
The BMA are aware that with 1 April passing, many practices and colleagues are querying what changes need to be put in place. Therefore, they 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.
GPCE is developing guidance and ‘Focus on’ documents to support practices in understanding and managing the imposed contract changes. As a reminder, QOF changes are now in place.
In advance of the 26 March GPCE meeting, the GPCE chair was invited to meet with the secretary of state on 19 March. In this meeting, the strength of feeling in the committee and wider profession was emphasised. The secretary of state’s previous commitment to a bilaterally-negotiated contract with GPCE was highlighted. Three key priorities for a new GMS contract were outlined:
to restore the viability and attractiveness of partnerships embedded in the community
fair remuneration for all GPs
workload safeguards that keep patients and GPs safe.
The meeting was constructive, with both sides acknowledging the opportunities that this would bring, in addition to the risks should this not be progressed. The committee were updated with regard to the meeting, and next steps were discussed and agreed as outlined in the plan above.
2026/27 GP contract changes webinar recording
The BMA have held webinars where they discussed the new contract and the next steps for the profession. In the last newsletter they shared a recording of the webinar, which has now been updated. Watch the webinar recording >
The BMA know how vital these discussions are to the whole profession, and want your feedback. Contact the BMA at info.gpc@bma.org.uk
DDRB
The Government has accepted the DDRB (Doctors’ and Dentists’ Review Body) recommendations for a 3.5% uplift in GP pay for the year 2026/27.
This uplift will be applied to Global Sum, raising payments per weighted patient for 2026/27 to £130.07, representing a 5.5% uplift to the 2025/26 figure.
There will be a similar 3.5% uplift applied to locum reimbursements for sickness and parental leave. The final figures will be incorporated into an updated SFE (statement of financial entitlements) anticipated in May 2026, which should also include claim and eligibility details for the practice-based GP reimbursement scheme.
The DDRB uplift also affects PCN funding. ARRS reimbursements will be uplifted in accordance with pay body review recommendations (3.5% for GPs and 3.3% for other staff), and enhanced access funding will also increase to reflect the 3.5% uplift.
The uplift brings total GP contract funding (including core and PCN funding) to just under £14bn for 2026/27.
Currently, GPCE is awaiting confirmation from NHSE that the DDRB uplift will also be applied to education allowances, GP trainer grants, GP fellowship funding, and the GP educator pay scale. The dispensing fee scales will be uplifted as is usual in October 2026.
NHSE has begun discussions with the GLD (Government Legal Department) about including the practice-level GP reimbursement scheme within an SFE (statement of financial entitlements) amendment (which is expected this month).
NHSE is aiming for the amendment to come into force from 1 May 2026 but cannot yet confirm this date as the GLD is still considering the complexity of the drafting. NHSE’s intention is that practice claims can be backdated to 1 April 2026 (as per its recent primary care bulletin).
Further details can be found in the BMA’s new ‘focus on’ guidance, which will be updated and reissued as and when new information becomes available.
Optum (EMIS) dispensing module funding – postponement of changes
GPCE has written to NHS England to raise urgent concerns regarding information received from GP surgeries (who are dispensing practices) using the EMIS Web clinical system. EMIS (Optum) has communicated to all its users that the existing arrangement, under which NHS England has met the monthly charge for the EMIS Web dispensing module, would cease on 1 April 2026. The BMA have asked NHSE to urgently look at this issue and provide financial support for these remote and rural practices providing vital NHS services to their patients.
The BMA have been working with the DDA (Dispensing Doctors’ Association) on this issue, and have just heard that Optum (EMIS) has postponed the introduction of this charge to dispensing practices. They don’t know what the new timelines will be on this and are yet to hear back from the letter they have sent to Amanda Doyle. The BMA will continue to press hard on this issue.
Resident doctors announce strike action
Following weeks of talks with Government, the BMA resident doctors committee has determined that the health and social care secretary’s final offer was insufficient and has announced further strike action in England. The action will run from 7am, 7 April to 6.59am, 13 April. Read more >
BMA submission published: neighbourhood health service – estates inquiry
The BMA’s written submission to the Health and Social Care Committee’s inquiry into delivering the neighbourhood health service: estates has now been published. You can read it in the written evidence section of the inquiry webpage. Explore the inquiry and access the submission >
Advice and guidance media and Parliamentary attention
The imposed GP contract’s advice and guidance/advice and refer have attracted attention in the public with concerns around possible rationing of care, patients’ experiences and delays to treatment. The Government has faced scrutiny in both Parliament and the media on its new advice and guidance policy. There has been much coverage online and across print, with patient stories highlighting the impact this would have on them.
Media articles have reported that GPs are being told to divert one in four appointments despite concerns about patients’ welfare. MPs, including those whom GPCE has met with, such as Liberal
Democrat health spokesperson Helen Morgan and shadow health minister Luke Evans, have raised concerns directly through Parliamentary questions and in the media.
GP wellbeing resources
A range of wellbeing and support services are available to doctors, and the BMA 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.
The BMA 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.
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, they 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.
It’s been a busy couple of weeks, with some common queries coming into our inbox and lots of new information being published so we have summarised it in the attached update as there is a little wait until our next newsletter which isn’t until towards the end of April.
Included:
Chaperone Guidance
Private prescribing of medicinal cannabis
Signposting to latest emails from Cambs & Peterborough ICB re: Meningitis information & resources
Signposting to latest PC update – with details on PLT
It is vital you have your say by voting in this referendum.
You should have received an email from 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 BMA to bring general practice back from the brink; this contract will not do that.
PLEASE VOTE NO
Missing your ballot voting link?
Read 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:
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.
GP Contract and campaign page contains the latest update about the contract, as well as guidance to help support you, and your practices.
2026/2027 Contract Changes webinar recording
General practice is critically endangered, facing extinction and the Government must work with BMA to bring general practice back from the brink; this contract will not do that.
BMA held webinars where it discussed the new contract and the next steps for the profession. Watch the webinar recording: GPC England contract update webinar
The BMA recognises the distress and significant impact of the meningitis outbreak and extends its thoughts to everyone affected and our condolences to those who have lost loved ones.
BMA knows the outbreak is putting pressure on frontline services, particularly for colleagues going above and beyond in general practice and public health, and is 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.
BMA encourages 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.
BMA is 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 is here to support you, including through 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
BMA is still awaiting the draft Regulations that will set out the detail of how new contractual requirements announced by NHS England will operate. However, BMA is 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.
BMA 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.
BMA is 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.
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 it discussed our concerns around the GP contract with.
BMA 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, BMA has met with The Rt Hon Pat McFadden MP, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, to discuss fit notes. During the meeting it 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
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.
From 1 June, the BMA are urging GP partnerships and practices across England to take part in a further collective action