Government offer could either end GP dispute or result in ballot, says BMA Scotland
The BMA in Scotland has received an offer from the Government which could either bring their dispute over GP underfunding to a close or result in a ballot of the profession.
The union’s Scottish GP Committee (SGPC) began a ‘formal dispute’ with the Government in June, citing ‘years of disinvestment in general practice’.
It said £290m of extra funding – around 1% of the NHS budget in Scotland – was required to deliver full funding restoration.
Now the SGPC said that it has received an ‘offer document’ from the Government and will work ‘intensely’ to negotiate a ‘final offer’ which they hope will result in ‘significant’ funding restoration.
This offer will then be discussed at the next SGPC meeting scheduled for 23 October and if ‘deemed acceptable’, will allow the union to end the dispute, the SGPC said in an update to GPs.
However, the SGPC said that while receiving an offer to negotiate on is a step forward to exiting dispute, ‘all options do remain open’ and the committee will continue to prepare to conduct an industrial action ballot should the negotiations break down.
The committee’s chair Dr Iain Morrison and deputy chairs Dr Chris Black and Dr Al Miles said: ‘In recognition of the tight deadlines, and to cover all eventualities while negotiations continue, we will also continue preparations to conduct a ballot of the profession.
‘That will mean that, if on the 23 October, SGPC cannot accept the offer we have achieved through negotiation then we will organise a ballot for November.’
It comes after Scottish LMCs representatives voted in favour of balloting the profession on industrial action last year.
Scottish GP leaders have already outlined a list of demands for the Government to meet in order to avoid industrial action, including GPs receiving 15% of the NHS budget and long-term contract reforms.
They pointed out that a ‘gross neglect’ of GMS ‘over many years’ has led to a crisis in general practice, and added that the proportion of NHS funding allocated to general practice must return to its previous level of 11%, with the ‘ultimate goal’ of reaching 15% of overall NHS spending.
Dr Morrison, Dr Black and Dr Miles added: ‘Whatever path we take, the time has come for the profession to show a united front and insist that enough is enough.
‘We are seeing record levels of demand coupled with further promises of more workload shift into the community and yet GP practices are reducing sessions and staffing levels due to unprecedented cost pressures. This is completely unsustainable.
‘Full funding restoration is what is required to salvage the profession and offer optimism for a safe, sustainable, quality general practice. We are determined to achieve that through negotiations which will begin in earnest now we have an offer.’
A Scottish Government spokesperson told Pulse: ‘We have been listening carefully to the views of GPs and are committed to increasing investment in primary and community care.
‘We have invested an initial £15 million this year to support workforce retention and recruitment, build service capacity and support the day to day running of GP services.
‘We have already increased investment in general practice by over £100 million in the last two years to meet recommended pay increases and to support practices with sustainability.
‘We are grateful for the constructive discussions we have held so far with the BMA to resolve this dispute as industrial action is not in anyone’s interests.’
