GP Connect ‘not fit for purpose’ ahead of mandatory community pharmacy access

The BMA and the RCGP have raised concerns around a contractual requirement for GP practices to allow community pharmacy access to the GP record, warning that the technology is currently not ‘fit for purpose’.

The 2025/26 contract changes mean that by 1 October practices will be required to allow community pharmacy to send consultation summaries into the GP practice workflow, using GP Connect Update Record.

But the union and college’s joint IT committee (JGPITC) said does ‘not yet have confidence that the current implementation is fit for purpose’.

And practices in one area have been advised by their LMC not enable the functionality yet, while the BMA engages in ‘further negotiation’.

Earlier this year, the BMA had already warned that GPs could be liable for ‘abnormal or erroneous’ information entered by a third party into patient records following the contract changes.

In a message to GPs, the BMA’s GP committee said: ‘Over recent months GPC England has been engaging with NHS England to highlight concerns and the need for safeguards over the functioning of GP Connect: Update Record and its use with Pharmacy First in particular.

‘GPCE agreed to the contractual requirement for this to be turned on by practices from 1 October 2025, subject to further discussions on it being ready to roll out.

‘The current implementation of GP Connect: Update Record was discussed at last week’s JGPITC meeting, and the committee does not yet have confidence that the current implementation is fit for purpose.

‘The propagation of pregnancy coding errors earlier in the year to those practices who hadn’t already turned it off as part of collective action is just one example of the problems associated with its current implementation.

‘The JGPITC has committed to working with the relevant stakeholders including NHSE to make this product safe and fit for purpose for patients and practices.’

The JGPITC works to ensure that ‘safe and robust systems’ are developed and implemented for use in general practice and is co-chaired by Dr Mark Coley, the BMA GPC England digital and IT policy lead, and Dr Tom Nichols, chair of the RCGP health informatics group.

Last year GPs across England took urgent action to remove a GP Connect functionality from their systems, following instruction from the BMA as part of collective action.

This was due to concerns that GP Connect Update Record could ‘clog up the records and leave GPs with responsibility for other people’s decisions and prescriptions’.

From 1 October, GPs will also be contractually required to allow ‘read-only access’ to patients’ care records (via GP Connect Access Record HTML and Structured) to other NHS providers and in some cases to private providers, following ‘explicit permission’ from the patient.

In new guidance, Surrey and Sussex LMCs advised practices in its area to take no action at present, while the BMA continues to negotiate with NHS England on the requirement.

SSLMCs chief executive Julius Parker said: ‘This issue is still subject to further negotiation; and I appreciate many practices will have switched off GP Connect as part of the BMA collective action campaign, which was supported by the LMC, and maintained that position since.

‘At present the LMC recommends practices take no action. This is a straightforward enablement in terms of practice IT and the LMC suggests waiting until the outcome of current negotiations is available.’

Pulse has contacted NHS England for comment.

The GP Connect Update Record API was rolled out in March 2024 to connect practices’ systems to community pharmacy and enable updates as part of the Pharmacy First scheme.