GPs 'could bring the NHS to a standstill'

FAMILY DOCTORS BALLOTED ON INDUSTRIAL ACTION

- ELLA PICKOVER

GPS have threatened to bring the NHS to a "standstill' with unprecedented industrial action.

Family doctors across England are being balloted by the British Medical Association (BMA) on whether they are in favour of staging collective action, amid a row over a new contract for GP services in England.

Any collective action could potentially mean GPs limit the number of patients they will see each day to 25, they may choose to stop performing work they are not formally contracted to do, and they could potentially ignore "rationing" restrictions by "prescribing whatever is in the patient's best interest".

In an interview with the Press Association, one of the nation's top GPs said the action could bring the NHS to a "standstill very quickly" though medics have said they do not want to make patients "piggy in the middle" and are directing the action at NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care.

The ballot of GPs was due to close yesterday and, if medics vote in favour of collective action, it will start on August 1 and could last for "months".

GPs have not staged action since 1964, when family doctors collectively handed in undated resignations to Harold Wilson's Labour government. This led to reform, including the Family Doctor Charter of 1965.