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GPs to call for ‘immediate’ withdrawal of new contract at BMA annual conference

GPs will debate a motion calling for the ‘immediate withdrawal’ of the five-year contract later this month at the BMA annual representative meeting (ARM).

The motion was put forward by the London Regional Council, who are ‘opposed’ to the framework agreement and are insisting for all GPs and trainee GP BMA members to be allowed a vote on it.

The council also suggests the ‘real agenda of GP contract change’ is to make GP practices ‘hastily’ sign primary care network deals and run independent practices into ‘extinction’.

The motion, included in the agenda for the BMA ARM on 23-27 June, says: ‘That this meeting believes this heist of GP registered NHS patients and their capitated budgets through dint of making primary care contract holders hastily sign network contracts and agreements by May 2019, suggests that the real agenda of GP contract change is to ‘evolve’ independent GP practices into extinction over five years and replace them with ICS -run primary care.’

Another motion put forward by London Regional Council states that the contract has been agreed without a ballot from BMA members.

It says: ‘That this meeting is astonished that “Investment and evolution: A five -year framework for contract reform to implement the NHS Long Term Plan” 31 1.19 has been agreed by GPC England without balloting GP BMA members.

The BMA has said it would not comment on any motion ahead of the ARM.

Last month, it was found that the BMA’s legal service was charging members up to £5,000 for networks seeking legal advice. LMC leaders said it was not fair for practices to cough up the funding to join networks, which were negotiated by the BMA. 

Accountants have also previously warned that practices should ‘think twice’ about signing network contracts due to potential issues with VAT and HR.