GPs in England vote overwhelmingly to reject imposed contract changes

The BMA’s vote has closed with 98.9% rejecting the Government’s imposed 2026/27 GP contract changes.

The news comes as the BMA GPC England meets today for an emergency meeting following the contract imposition, to determine next steps.

It has previously said this could include collective action around patient data sharing.

In all, 17,000 GPs voted in the BMA’s referendum, which was a 55% turnout among eligible participants. All GPs and GP registrars who are BMA members and who practice in England were eligible to vote.

Participants were asked to ‘reject the Government’s 26/27 GMS and PMS contract changes, and its approach to making them, and call upon the Government to return to direct negotiations with GPCE to jointly develop a new GMS contract for all that restores the viability of GP partnerships, provides fair remuneration for all GPs and implements workload safeguards to keep GPs and patients safe’.

GPCE chair Dr Katie Bramall said: ‘This is an unequivocal rejection from GPs across England. The Government cannot ignore the strength of feeling from a profession that is already at breaking point.

‘These proposals heap unsafe, unfunded additional workload on to practices, forcing GPs to deliver more with less, putting patient care at risk. Patient groups and GPs alike are united in their concerns around Hospitals rejecting GP referrals to access appropriate specialist care. When the Government promised a “shift from hospital to the community” we did not think this would be their own waiting lists.’

Crucial changes to the GP contract coming in from 1 April include practices having to offer same-day access for all urgent patients, and A&G becoming a mandated part of the core contract.

Dr Bramall said: ‘Mandating unlimited access without the staff, time, or infrastructure needed to deliver it is not a plan, but a fast-track to collapse GP services, pushing GPs to either walk away due to the moral injury it inflicts, or force them to close their doors due to the pressures placed on them. In some settings it may even tip family doctors to “do a dentist” and see if they can offer a better, safer service privately.

‘GPs simply want to provide the safe care their patients need, but they know they are being set up to fail with this imposed contract, the referendum result speaks for itself.’

Dr Bramall had previously said that if the GPC get ‘a strong enough mandate’ from the referendum, the GPC will push for ‘immediate action’ from 1 April, and this would include a ‘single, unified’ protest action for all practices, rather than a menu of options as proposed in 2024.

Yesterday, health secretary Wes Streeting indicated in a speech that the DHSC now stands ready to begin talks with the BMA over a wholesale new GMS contract. This remains one of the conditions for the GPCE to end its ongoing dispute.

However Mr Streeting did not specify whether this would be the direct negotiation the BMA has demanded, or whether it would be another stakeholder consultation, as per the latest GP contract round.

He said: ‘We’re about to embark on major reform of the GP contract, working in partnership with the BMAs GP committee and others, to deliver our shared ambition to make primary care providers the leaders of neighbourhood health.’

Also yesterday, the DHSC accepted the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration’s (DDRB) recommendation for GPs to receive a 3.5% pay uplift for 2026/27.

The Government pointed out that GP headcount is 50,686 and 16,764 votes were cast in the referendum – which is equal to 33.07%.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: ‘This vote is not representative of the hardworking profession and GPs across the country who want to make general practice fit for the future. Most GPs are working with us as we modernise and invest in fixing the front door of the NHS.

‘As a result, patient satisfaction with GP access has risen to record levels and we have recruited 2,000 more GPs, cut red tape so GPs spend more time caring for patients, and rolled out game-changing online access to help end the 8am scramble.

‘The £500m uplift to this year’s GP contract will guarantee urgent same day appointments for patients and £292m for an extra 1,600 GPs.

‘We remain resolutely committed to working constructively and collaboratively with the profession and the BMA GPCE to further put it on the road to recovery.’

Read all of our coverage of the 2026/27 contract here.