General practitioners are threatening to commence an industrial conflict unless Wes Streeting ceases significant changes regarding patient appointment scheduling. The Health Secretary has pledged to eliminate the morning rush for appointments by mandating practices in England to offer online appointment requests throughout their operating hours starting on Wednesday. The current system allows practices to suspend online bookings during busy periods, causing phone lines to be continuously engaged and hindering patient access.
The planned modifications, aimed at maintaining online access, were designed to free up phone lines for older patients in need. However, the British Medical Association (BMA) argues that without additional resources, this could escalate into a critical patient safety concern. The doctors’ union has threatened to proceed with a formal dispute if the government does not halt the plan within the next 48 hours.
Dr. Katie Bramall, chair of the BMA GP committee, expressed concerns that the proposed changes could lead to hospital-like waiting lists in general practice and reduce face-to-face GP consultations. This could result in challenges identifying urgent cases amidst a backlog of patient requests, potentially jeopardizing patient safety.
Wes Streeting is anticipated to address the doctors’ union during his speech at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool tomorrow. The BMA advocates for practices to retain the option to redirect online consultation requests to telephone or walk-in appointments if they become overwhelmed, as the current system often leaves patients struggling to connect with their practice.
According to the 2024 GP Patient Survey, over a quarter of individuals did not have a positive experience when attempting to book a GP appointment. The upcoming changes aim to enhance accessibility by requiring GP practices in England to accept appointment requests online, via phone, or walk-ins from 8am to 6.30pm. Patients will need to provide details about their condition, with practices expected to respond within one working day by offering a GP appointment, referral to a pharmacist, or other NHS service, or providing self-care advice in some cases.
With the implementation of the new system, receptionists will no longer act as the gatekeepers to GP services starting from October 1. The BMA highlights concerns that online systems may struggle to differentiate between urgent and non-urgent cases, emphasizing the importance of implementing necessary safeguards to prevent critical clinical requests from being mistakenly submitted online.
The BMA warns that without additional staffing resources, GPs may be diverted from face-to-face consultations to manage the influx of online appointment requests. If the changes proceed as planned, the BMA will enter into a technical dispute with the government, potentially leading to a strike ballot if the issue remains unresolved.
Dr. Bramall emphasized the importance of ensuring necessary safeguards are in place before the implementation deadline on October 1. Acknowledging the role of general practice in NHS tech innovation, she highlighted the willingness to embrace change while prioritizing patient and staff safety. The government has been given a 48-hour ultimatum to reconsider the course of action, prevent a dispute, and uphold their commitments.