LMCs to withhold BMA GP Committee funding over contract negotiations fallout

Exclusive A large group of LMCs has decided to withhold voluntary contributions used to fund the BMA’s GP committee, citing ‘value for money’ concerns.

Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire (BBO) LMCs said that the BMA is ‘failing to effectively represent the interests of GP contractors in England’, and that it does not believe it represents value for money if voluntary levies continue to be used to fund the GPC via the GP Defence Fund (GPDF).

It will be withholding paying some of their quota to GPDF, pending discussions ‘on how contributions can be adjusted accordingly’, including discussing ‘whether such representation is better provided outside the BMA entirely’.

The LMCs had been considering declaring no confidence in the leadership of the GPC, over a lack of escalation in their dispute with the Government.

Now, in a letter to the BMA, seen by Pulse, it has confirmed that it will be withholding the additional 2p per patient of voluntary levy contributions due from April, following concerns around next year’s GP contract and ‘value for money’.

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 – including paying for LMC conferences – across the UK as a whole.

BBO LMCs said their levy-paying constituents have told the LMC they are unaware of any strategy by GPC to progress their dispute with the Government and are ‘confused by an unclear timeline to action’.

The letter, seen by Pulse, said that while the success of other BMA branches of practice in their industrial action to achieve pay restoration is ‘laudable’, it is ‘patently unfair’ that GP partners are paying a premium for their membership ‘despite enjoying no such rights to effective industrial action’.

The letter said: ‘The cost of this national representation raises questions over value for money for GP contractors. GPCE is currently funded partly by the BMA, through subscriptions, but also largely by GPDF, through voluntary levies collected from practices.

‘GP partners pay the maximum subscription tier for BMA membership, currently £46.25 per month, or £555 per year.

‘In addition, for 2026/27, practices will contribute 5p per registered patient to GPDF in order to fund GPCE. For an average list size of 10,000 patients, with an average number of partners of 2.5, this means the average partner is paying approximately an additional £200 per year for national representation compared to non-partner colleagues within the BMA; an increased cost of 36%.’

Pulse understands that at least two other LMCs are considering withholding the levy pending approval from their committee, including South Staffordshire.

The BBO letter added: ‘We will be sharing this document with GPDF and seeking to engage in discussions with them as to the lack of scrutiny of spending of the Deed of Grant by the BMA, the future of our contributions toward GPCE, and, importantly, the question of whether constituent levies would be better spent on representation outside the BMA.

‘In the meantime, we shall be withholding the additional 2p per patient of voluntary levy contributions due from April pending the outcome of these discussions.’

A BMA spokesperson said: ‘The blame for this year’s imposed contract lies squarely with the Government, which, despite GPCE’s hard work and dedication on behalf of frontline GPs and willingness to work together, shut out the elected leadership of the profession.

‘The focus for all GPs now must be on fighting for the future of general practice as we know it, not fighting amongst themselves.

‘On Thursday, GPC England voted to overwhelmingly reject the contract and called for the Government to return to direct negotiations with BMA leaders to jointly develop a new practice contract that will save general practice. We are now seeking the mandate of all GPs and registrars across England and remain focused on fighting for GPs in the face of existential threat, protecting practices, improving patient care, and restoring the viability of partnerships and practices before it’s too late.’

Pulse has contacted the GPDF for comment.

At an ’emergency’ meeting of GPC England yesterday, the committee voted to reject the imposed new 2026/27 GP contract. It will also have a referendum of GPs and GP registrars across England on the changes from 4 March to 25 March.

GPC England will ask its members if they accept the Government’s changes or if they want them to ‘return to direct negotiations’ with BMA leaders to ‘develop a new practice contract’.

Earlier this week, one LMC demanded that the GPC chair steps down, in light of the breakdown of the relationship between the BMA and the Government towards the end of last year.

Pulse revealed that the BMA had lost its sole negotiating role for the GP contract and that distrust was the Government’s reason for overhauling the GP contract process from a negotiation with the GPC to a consultation where the BMA is just one of the stakeholders.

This week the Government revealed the details of the 2026/27 contract, which was unilaterally imposed.

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

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