General practitioners are on the verge of initiating a labor dispute unless Wes Streeting stops significant alterations to the process of scheduling appointments for patients. The Health Secretary has pledged to eliminate the morning rush for appointments starting Wednesday by mandating practices in England to enable patients to request appointments online during operating hours. Currently, practices can suspend online booking during busy periods, leading to engaged phone lines and difficulty for some patients to connect. The proposed alterations, aimed at maintaining online access, were intended to release phone lines for elderly patients who require them; however, the British Medical Association (BMA) warns that without additional resources, it could escalate into a “critical patient safety concern.”
The doctors’ union has indicated that they will take action and formally dispute the plan if the government does not halt it within the next 48 hours. Dr. Katie Bramall, Chair of the BMA GP committee, expressed concerns that the changes would likely result in hospital-style waiting lists in general practice and reduce face-to-face GP consultations. This could potentially put patients at risk as healthcare providers attempt to prioritize urgent cases among a high volume of unmet patient needs.
Wes Streeting is set to address the doctors’ union during his speech at the upcoming Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. The BMA is advocating for practices to retain the option to redirect online consultation requests to telephone or walk-in alternatives if they become overwhelmed. Despite the current system being challenging for many patients to access, a recent GP Patient Survey revealed that over 25% of individuals did not have a positive experience when seeking a GP appointment.
The impending change will potentially eliminate receptionists as the intermediaries to GPs starting from October 1. Under the new system, GP practices in England will be obligated to accept appointment requests online, via phone, or walk-ins from 8 am to 6:30 pm. Patients will be required to provide details of their condition, and practices must respond within one working day, offering a GP appointment slot, referral to a pharmacist, or another NHS service, with self-care advice in some instances.
Following the change, GP practices will no longer be able to instruct patients to call back at 8 am the next day. The BMA has raised concerns that online systems may struggle to differentiate urgent cases from non-urgent ones. The union agreed to the changes under the condition that essential safeguards would be implemented to prevent erroneous submission of urgent clinical requests online before the implementation of the new system.
Furthermore, the BMA emphasizes that without increased staff capacity, GPs may need to reallocate time from face-to-face appointments to review online appointment requests. If the change proceeds without addressing these concerns, the BMA is prepared to enter into a technical dispute with the government, potentially leading to a strike ballot if the issues are not resolved.
Dr. Bramall emphasized the need for the government to heed their concerns and ensure that GPs can meet the new requirements safely. She highlighted the role of general practice in NHS tech innovation and expressed willingness to adapt to change as long as patient and staff safety are not compromised. The government has been given a 48-hour ultimatum to reconsider the course of action, avert the dispute, and uphold their commitments.