Who else is doing a little dance of glee this morning?! This is probably one of the best possible results for general practice. We all knew it was unlikely there would be a full change of government, and were hoping against hope there wouldn’t be a huge majority.
This outcome means we have leverage – there is no overwhelming mandate for the Conservative party to continue their policies on the NHS unopposed. We have an opportunity to challenge them, point at the results and highlight that the voting public are unconvinced by their record on the NHS. It’s almost like they have noticed the lack of GPs and the huge increase in waiting times…!
And while Theresa May and her team are still grappling with what this means for Brexit, maybe we should be there with a cup of tea and a shoulder to cry on, sliding our plans for saving general practice quietly onto their desks.
We now have to actively dictate the direction of travel with a united profession. We need to offer colleagues alternatives to resignation, but ways in which – if the government, NHS England or CCGs are not doing their part – we can ensure there are consequences.
This result gives us a chance – let’s not waste it.
Dr Zoe Norris is a GP in Hull
