Welsh GP leaders to ‘urgently consider’ industrial action

BMA Wales’ GP Committee has been given a mandate to ‘urgently consider’ industrial action across general practice.

Attendees at the Welsh LMCs conference over the weekend passed a motion which ‘deplores the failure of the Welsh Government’ to negotiate a GP contract for this financial year.

Contract talks between the GP Committee for Wales (GPCW), the Welsh Government and NHS Wales broke down in October last year.

However, last month both parties ‘mutually decided’ to end negotiations despite being unable to reach agreement, and a total of £20m was invested into the GMS contract, which is 4.4% of the contract value of £450m.

Now, local GP leaders have called on the BMA to consider ‘meaningful industrial action’ in response.

The conference also passed a motion asking GPCW to explore ‘what GP practices might consider stopping doing’ in order to remain viable.

On future GMS contracts, local GP leaders called for expenses to be ‘funded 100%’ and for allowances to cover national and minimum wage increases.

A successful vote on workforce insisted that the Welsh Government avoids making ‘the mistake of the English DoH’ by restricting additional funding to ‘only some professional groups’, as is the case with ARRS funding.

In his speech to LMC leaders, GPCW chair Dr Gareth Oelmann said ‘time is running out’ and reiterated that the recent contract agreement is ‘sub-inflationary’ and ‘inadequate’.

‘The Welsh Government continue to state, “they have no money”. Therefore, I challenge them to use the taxpayer’s pound more effectively and take stock of priorities,’ he said.

Dr Oelmann told attendees of his warning to ministers: ‘Recognise the value of General Practice, do not undervalue our worth. But if you continue to actively devalue GMS, the consequences are plain for all to see.’

GPC Wales has meanwhile launched surveys on practice finance and GP workload, workforce and wellbeing, both of which will inform the next round of contract negotiations.

The GP contract uplift for this financial year included a 5% pay rise for all general practice staff, backdated to April 2023, which is below the 6% pay rise for salaried GPs and practice staff in England.

Along with calls for industrial action, LMC leaders also passed a motion calling for contract changes to ‘be negotiated well in advance of 1st April’ and ‘implemented on time’, unlike this year’s process.

Last summer, GPC Wales launched its Save Our Surgeries campaign which called for an ‘urgent rescue package’ from the Welsh Government to save general practice from collapsing. 

And a BMA petition calling for the rescue package received over 21,500 signatures.