Local leaders to be consulted on new GP contract wishes

Exclusive The BMA is consulting LMCs across England to inform its priorities for upcoming GP contract negotiations, the union has confirmed.

A series of ‘focus groups’ run by the BMA’s GP committee and an advisory company are expected to happen ‘before Christmas’, and LMCs were invited to nominate participants, Pulse understands.

This includes LMCs across the South West, Midlands, North East and Nort West to ‘ensure a broad mix of voices’, including GPs who are ‘not usually involved in national policy discussions’.

It follows a breakdown in the relationship between the BMA and the Government, as health secretary Wes Streeting decided to overhaul the way the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England decide the terms of the GP contract in England – significantly diluting the BMA’s role in contract negotiations.

A BMA message sent to LMCs at the beginning of the month, seen by Pulse, said: ‘The BMA GP committee is running a series of focus groups to gather views from grassroots GPs on key issues affecting the profession.

‘These sessions, organised and run by BB Partners, will form part of a wider consultation to inform the committee’s priorities for upcoming negotiations.

‘Your support in helping BB Partners hear from a wide range of grassroots voices is vital to ensuring this consultation reflects the realities of general practice across England.’

The virtual focus groups are expected to happen ‘before Christmas’, with ‘exact dates to be confirmed’, including GP partners, salaried GPs, locums and registrars. Further details will be shared with LMCs ‘in due course’, the message added.

Earlier this year, LMC representatives at their national conference in Glasgow had already been told the union was planning to ‘go out to the profession’ via a survey to gather views on what GPs want out of a new GMS contract.

It comes as the overhauled process for GP contract negotiations for 2026/27 was due to start last week.

As exclusively revealed by Pulse, instead of GP contract negotiations solely with the GPC for 2026/27, the Government will ‘consult’ it alongside a wider group of stakeholders, including the RCGP and patient groups.

Since the decision, hundreds of grassroots GPs and the Doctors’ Association have defended the BMA’s role in contract negotiations and wrote to the Government criticising the decision.

Pulse has recently looked into the reasons and timeline of the breakdown in relationship between the BMA and the Government.

Last week, NHS England expressed concern that ‘expectations for increased funding’ mean negotiations for the 2026/27 GP contract‘ will be challenging.