GPs move towards industrial action after rejecting “rescue plan” for general practice

The BMA’s England GP committee (GPC) is seeking approval to ballot GPs on industrial action that could constitute a breach of contract.

The move comes after the committee formally rejected the health secretary’s rescue package for general practice.

Sajid Javid’s plan pledged an extra £250m (€296m; $345m) to increase the proportion of appointments that practices deliver face-to-face, which will require local commissioners to identify the 20% of practices in their area with the lowest levels of such appointments.1

At a meeting on 21 October, however, GPC members passed a motion that rejected the plan. This comes after the majority (93%) of 3500 GPs in …