Appointments at many Derbyshire GP surgeries may be limited because of 'collective action'

GP surgeries across Derbyshire are joining in national collective action over overworking, financial problems and the possibility of closure in the next few years. A ballot earlier in the year showed overwhelming support for taking action in protest of the underfunded and overstretched state of general practice. It is estimated that four out of every 10 GP practices are limiting patient appointments currently.

As part of the action, the British Medical Association has recommended GP practices not to exceed the BMA recommended safe limit of 25 patients seen by each GP per day (this is still over 6 hours of patient contact per day, with administrative work, reviewing lab results, reviewing prescriptions etc. to be completed on top).

One of the city's largest practices Lister House Surgery, with locations in Normanton, Oakwood, Allenton and Chellaston, is taking part in the action. A social media message to patients said: "This action will not be strike action nor will it breach the contract that GP practices have with the NHS.

"We aim to minimise the impact this collective action will have on patients, but hope that our patients, friends and partners in the community will stand with us and know that without this action, general practice may not continue to exist in the near future.

"Following decades of underfunding, increases in the cost of utilities, wages, supplies, taxation, and year on year real term funding decreases, we now have no other choice than to take part in this collective action to fight for the funding we need to stay open and to continue to serve our patients.

"Hundreds or even thousands of GP practices are now facing the very real threat of being forced to close in the next few years."

Alvaston Medical centre in Boulton Lane is another GP practive involved in the action. Its has told patients: "Our doctors are limiting their consultations to a maximum of 25 patients per day. As result of this action patients will be triaged to their local urgent care services and NHS 111 once the doctor is at capacity."

The Derby and Derbyshire Local Medical Committee (DDLMC) says that a new contract is needed "that is fit for purpose, one that provides the investment and workforce needed to reset general practice and provide patients with family doctors".

The DDLMC is anxious to point out that GP surgeries are not striking and said: "GP practices are in dispute with the government over an imposed GP contract. They are taking collective action in an aim to save general practice. The aim is to get the government back around the table to negotiate. We want to deliver a new contract for the profession across England that provides the investment needed to transform, rebuild, and reinvigorate general practice."

Nine actions that surgeries can take have been put forward by General Practice Council (GPC) England and are:

• Limit daily patient consultations
• Serve notice on voluntary services
• Withdraw permission for data sharing agreements
• Freeze sign-up to any new data sharing agreements
• Stop engaging with e-referral advice and guidance
• Stop rationing referrals, investigations and admissions
• Switch off update record system to third parties
• Switch off medicines optimisation software
• Defer signing off simpler online requests until spring 2025

NHS England said in August: "The NHS and government is working hard to avert collective action and to plan for disruption and to mitigate this where possible. The nature of the collective action means that the impacts will vary at different GP practices. NHS England is working closely with government to review options for providing additional funding to further support general practice, subject to funding availability constraints."