Proposal to cut BMA GP committee funding voted down
The GP Defence Fund has voted against stopping funding for the BMA’s GP Committee England.
The fund that pays for GPCE activities had been called to vote on proposals to cease cashflow to the negotiating body by the end of the year, and instead channel funding towards LMCs and the development of a ‘plan B’ general practice model.
According to a briefing paper, shared ahead of the meeting and seen by Pulse, the vote was triggered following concerns that the GPC doesn’t appropriately represent the interests of GP partners.
However all three parts of the proposal failed to pass at the extraordinary general meeting of representatives held yesterday (see box).
Motions and voting results in full
Resolution 1
This meeting directs the GPDF Board to cease to continue funding the BMA via the Deed of Grant and any additional payments for England beyond the negotiated end point of 31 December 2026, and instead divert resource to an LMC director and constituted, contractor-led organisation to ensure the survival of the independent contractor model of general practice in England.
In favour: 13
Against: 74
Resolution 2
This meeting directs the GPDF Board to take urgent steps to support and expand the resource, scope, and scale of existing LMC secretariat infrastructures, to enable them to be utilized at scale in lieu of the BMA secretariat for the benefit of all constituent practices.
In favour: 20
Against: 69
Resolution 3
This meeting directs the GPDF Board to redirect funds to resource the research and development of a ‘plan B’ to support constituent GP practices to work outside the NHS, for the benefit of any practices who may have need for it.
In favour: 27
Against: 62
Source: GPDF agenda seen by Pulse
The majority of the funds secured by the GPDF are spent on the Deed of Grant, which funds the GPC and BMA costs to support the committee.
Pulse revealed that earlier this year a large group of LMCs had written to the GPDF to urge it to stop funding the committee.
Since then, the GPCE announced last month it will ballot GPs in England on a ‘plan B’, or an ‘alternative strategy’ for general practice that would allow GPs ‘greater freedom to provide private services to their patients’, following a vote at the UK LMC conference.
