Could GPs collectively declare black alerts?

After a webinar light on 26/27 GP contract detail, editor Sofia Lind notes how the GPC may be laying the groundwork for future collective action

The BMA’s GP Committee is hosting webinars this week, ostensibly about progress on the 2026/27 contract negotiations. But if you attended the first one yesterday, you will not have come away knowing much more about that topic.

We did learn that the consultation has concluded and that the GPC, along with other stakeholders, is due to find out the outcome at the end of February. The committee will then hold an emergency meeting to discuss next steps, although it is not expected they will be able to do an awful lot more about it.

During yesterday’s webinar, GPC chair Dr Katie Bramall suggested this lack of progress is by Government design, arguing ministers would not want to be seen to impose a GP contract ahead of the May elections. I am more doubtful that this is about political caution, and more inclined to think it reflects a desire to retain maximum freedom to act as they please.

While little was said about proposals for the next financial year’s contract, a few interesting titbits did emerge. These included more detail on what the GPC wants from a wholesale new GMS contract, and where it currently stands on collective action.

Much of the discussion focused on why taking action is difficult for GPs as independent contractors with unlimited liability. However, Dr Bramall said two options related to action are being considered.

The first would be to put the 2026/27 contract outcome to a referendum of the profession. This may seem odd, given the GPC’s already limited scope to influence the outcome. However, Dr Bramall suggested the views of the profession could be used as ‘leverage’ in future negotiations.

She also told attendees that the committee has begun working with GP IT system providers on the potential for an OPEL-style framework, powered by AI, to indicate when practices have reached capacity. For those unfamiliar, OPEL is the four-level alert system used by hospital trusts to divert patients elsewhere when demand becomes unsustainable. In general practice, such a system could measure metrics including appointments per 1,000 patients, home visit requests and workforce absence on a given day, the GPC webinar revealed.

While this sounds promising on paper, Dr Bramall stressed that if only a small number of practices adopted such an approach it would still expose GP partners to risk, as it would constitute a contract breach. Collective uptake would therefore be essential. She also argued that patient safety must trump contractual requirements.

The BMA would clearly need extensive legal advice before recommending such an option. But in the absence of any movement on collective action – and amid GP committee and LMC unrest that this runs counter to conference policy – any attempt to galvanise the profession should be welcomed.

But, as nothing in GP politics happens fast, and perhaps in an homage to the 2016 trend (ask your teenagers) I point you to this blog by my predecessor-but-one, Nigel Praities, from exactly 10 years ago.

Sofia Lind is editor of Pulse. Find her at [email protected] or on LinkedIn