Funding could be withheld from general practices if staff take part in day of action, trusts warn

General practices in London have been threatened with sanctions for breach of contract if they take part in industrial action on 21 June to protest over changes to the NHS pension scheme.

Local primary care trust clusters—which were formed last year as part of the government’s reorganisation of the NHS in England—have informed the practices in their areas that they will be expected to deliver their contracts “in full” on the day of action and that any practice that fails to provide either essential or additional services during core hours will be regarded as in breach of contract.

Letters to practices from the five primary care trust (PCT) clusters in London say that the local NHS may issue formal breach of contract notices and decide to withhold certain payments owed to the holder of the primary medical service contract as compensation for any …