Update from Dr Clare Bannon, GPC England Chair.
Our priority since July has been to secure written confirmation from the Government to agree to re-enter formal bilateral negotiations with us. We set a deadline for this, coinciding with a meeting of GPC England (GPCE) on 17 September.
The GPCE officer team has had a positive initial contact with ministers and civil servants, and I am pleased to say the Government has now agreed to return to formal bilateral discussions with us, and we are temporarily postponing any further escalation of collective action.
The committee was disappointed in the lack of Government commitment to ‘negotiations’ and were very clear they expect to see significant progress over coming months. However, although the committee voted to postpone further escalation, we will not stop highlighting the extraordinary challenges general practice is currently facing in all our forthcoming negotiations. Our practice teams continue to deliver outstanding care despite the relentless pressures we encounter, and we must ensure we do so safely for ourselves and our patients. We will soon be relaunching our safe working guidance and urge you to continue using it.
In entering these negotiations, our focus remains on securing a confirmed roadmap with the Government for a £50 per patient increase in core practice funding and clarity on turning unsafe demand into manageable care for our patients. This is a golden opportunity to reset relations and trust with the profession that Government ministers must now heed. Over the summer we have developed a clear escalation strategy and that has been supported by the committee. We are clear that we remain in formal dispute in the meantime over an imposed April 26 contract and practices should continuecurrent actions, but if insufficient progress is made in discussions with Government at any point, we will escalate collective action, which will be worked upon in the background during talks with the government.
Thank you for your continued commitment and activism for the collective cause of all GPs and our patients.
Read more on the GP campaign webpage. A reminder that the public petition to support general practice remains open – please sign and encourage patients to do so too.
