This site is intended for health professionals only


PCTs drop threat of sanctions on GPs over day of action

GPs who took part in the BMA’s day of industrial action in July will face no sanctions from PCOs, Pulse has learned.

NHS North Central London and NHS South West London NHS have confirmed they are not taking action against GPs, and have no plans to do so, having previously failed to rule it out.

All PCTs in London wrote to the capital’s 6,000 GPs prior to the day of action to warn them they may face a breach-of-contract notice or withheld pay if they opted to take part.

The remaining clusters in London had already ruled out taking any action against GPs.

Meanwhile, the GMC has refused to confirm whether it is investigating complaints against three doctors who took industrial action.

Dr Chaand Nagpaul, a GPC negotiator and a GP in Stanmore, north London, said: ‘I’m glad common sense has prevailed and PCT clusters have chosen to spend their time and efforts on more important priorities.’

In the letter prior the industrial action, PCTs warned: ‘We expect all of our primary medical services contractors to continue to deliver the contract in full.

‘Although it is of course an individual’s right to take lawful industrial action, any GP practice that fails to provide a service during core hours on the day of action will be regarded as having been in breach of contract, even if the individual participating in that industrial action carries out the majority of work he or she would normally undertake.’