More than eight out of ten GPs are “angry” at the government’s proposals to overhaul the GP contract.
A survey by GP Business shows only 5% of those polled were “happy” with the proposed changes announced by the government last month, with 81.7% describing their reaction as “angry”.
More than three-quarters of GPs also said the changes will result in a pay cut for their practice.
More than eight out of ten GPs are “angry” at the government’s proposals to overhaul the GP contract.
A survey by GP Business shows only 5% of those polled were “happy” with the proposed changes announced by the government last month, with 81.7% describing their reaction as “angry”.
More than three-quarters of GPs also said the changes will result in a pay cut for their practice.
Under the proposals, GP rewards typically given for “organisational” tasks will instead be given for the quality of services that GPs offer patients instead.
New measures added include: ensuring quality rewards for GPs reflect expert advice from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), making sure more patients benefit from best practice areas such as blood pressure and cholesterol.
Almost nine out of ten GPs (87%) responding to the survey said they felt the government’s public announcement to change the GP contract “undermined” the trust in GP contract talks.
The same number also urged the British Medical Association’s (BMA) GP Committee (GPC) not to accept the government’s proposals.
Dr Richard Vautrey, deputy chair of the BMA’s GPC, said the survey findings “validated” the organisation’s stance against the proposals.
“I sincerely hope the government listens to the concerns that GPs are articulating,” he said.
“We know GPs are struggling with the spiraling of workload and are angry the government is asking them to do more and more while paying them less and less.
“GPs are telling us that enough is enough.”
A spokesperson from the Department of Health said: "The GP contract needs to change so that it further improves care for patients. We want to work with the GPC and hope that they and NHS Employers can resume discussions and a negotiated settlement is agreed."
