GPCE executive team has ‘nothing to hide’, says chair

The BMA’s GP Committee chair Dr Katie Bramall has come out in denial of having misled colleagues over whether controversial online access changes were agreed with Government.

In an exclusive op-ed for Pulse, Dr Bramall said she wishes to ‘set the record straight’ and urged the profession to ‘stand together’ to ‘protect general practice for the next generation’.

Last week, Pulse revealed severe unrest within the GP Committee England, with large numbers of members coming forward to say they felt ‘misled’ by the executive team regarding contract negotiations.

This followed a letter unveiled by the Department of Health and Social Care which seemed to back up their version that the GPCE had agreed it would be up to practices to implement safeguards when core-hours online access became mandated in October.

However, in her op-ed, Dr Bramall again accused the Government of ‘shifting its position and breaking its word’; and said they chose to subsequently ‘release selective correspondence’.

She said: ‘When the contract was locked down in NHSE’s letter to the profession on 18 February it was on the condition we would work together to apply proper safeguards to online consultation tools and GP Connect.

‘They have chosen to release non-committal discursive emails to disguise their change in stance. It is obvious to anyone who works in general practice, that of course no single online consultation software solution could ever be mandated. We work in a complex healthcare environment made up of different online providers, with different systems. We all needed to work together to make Wes Streeting’s contractual “red line” a safe reality.

‘The paper trail throughout 2025 shows that against all advice from GPC England and JGPITC the Government/NHSE/DHSC consistently failed to address all the problems that have come to pass, until finally dispute became inevitable.’

Although Dr Bramall does not provide any specific correspondence backing her version of events, she said: ‘GPC England’s letters are available on the BMA website for GPs to make up their own minds – we have nothing to hide.’

Dr Bramall’s op-ed also sought to address rumours – which have also been put to Pulse by GPCE members – that she agreed to the contract because of support for the Labour Party.

She said: ‘There have been suggestions that I am “in Wes’s pocket”. Wrong – I seek reasonable dialogue to serve the needs of GPs. Dialogue is not agreement. General Practice runs through me and my officers like a stick of Blackpool Rock.

‘If general practice is threatened, we will fight. I have worked a total of 14 years as both a GP partner and an LMC secretary; collectively our officer team has over 100 years’ experience in representing, supporting and advising practices across the country.’

Dr Bramall concluded her op-ed by urging unity among GPs, because ‘a fractured profession benefits government’, and she also called for ministers to ‘stop briefing against’ GPs.

Last week, the DHSC and NHS England cancelled all meetings with GPCE whilst reviewing their relationship with the BMA.

This followed England LMC conference, which the Government has complained ‘escalated’ the dispute.

The conference backed a number of dispute escalation motions, including the potential of full-day walkouts; undated resignations; refusing online access compliance; and boycotting neighbourhood teams not led by general practice.

However, some LMC leaders had told Pulse they were now unsure about next steps in the dispute, amid the allegations that the 1 October changes were agreed by GPCE.