Pulse Checker: BMA GP Committee calls for militant action (within reason)

Pulse’s not-entirely-serious take on the month’s events

The BMA’s GP Committee has called on the NHS and ministers to offer a decent contract that reduces workload and ensures funding stays in line with inflation or ‘face the consequences (if it’s not too much bother)’.

The GPC said it had understood the concerns of grassroots members about 13-hour days and constant attacks from all quarters, adding: ‘It is time for gloves off. No option is off the table (except anything that will upset anyone, including ministers, as we do need a relationship with them when we negotiate).’

They added that one option was to recommend GPs provide only 364 days’ worth of appointment data rather than a full year’s worth when the Government next needs figures to negatively spin against the profession.

A spokesperson for the BMA Junior Doctors Committee said of the GPC statement: ‘Yeah, I am sure they know what they’re doing. But we’ll just crack on with withdrawing labour until ministers stop treating us like crap.’

Health secretary ‘offers to fist fight radiologists’

Health secretary Steve Barclay is reportedly visiting trusts around England offering to fight radiologists, porters and canteen staff in a bid to make all hospital staff hate him.

The Government is currently in dispute with ambulance workers, nurses, junior doctors and potentially consultants, but Mr Barclay has told allies that there is still so much he wants to achieve.

A source close to the health secretary told Pulse Checker: ‘Steve was always envious of how Jeremy Hunt turned the whole health service against him. So he’s been determined to match Hunt’s level of unpopularity in a fraction of the time.

‘After he’s finished roughing up the radiologists, he is going to focus on canteen staff by deliberately spilling gravy and then go around corridors letting doors shut on porters transporting bedbound patients.’

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