GP 'collective action' affecting patients in Milton Keynes
You may have seen recently that GPs have voted to take 'collective action' in protest against a contract they have been offered. GPs will choose from a series of options:
- Limiting daily patients to 25 - about a third fewer than normal.
- Stop engaging with the e-referral and guidance service, which allows GPs to seek advice from other clinicians.
- Switching off NHS software that suggests cheaper prescription alternatives - which is sometimes a different product so GPs have to take time to accept or decline.
- Referring patients directly to specialist care rather than following more complex NHS processes.
- Refusing to share patient data unless it is in the best interests of a patient.
- Withdraw permission for data sharing agreements that use data for secondary purposes.
- Defer making any decisions to accept NHS pilot programmes.
Each GP practice will pick and choose which one to implement, as they see fit.
They could start with one and add more incrementally or could do all of them from day one.
This action will affect local GP services over the coming weeks and months. You may experience some disruption to services at your GP practice.
This is the statement we have received from the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board:
The NHS is asking the public to come forward as usual for care during collective action by GPs. If you have an appointment with your GP practice, you should attend as usual, unless you are told otherwise.
Your practice will still be open to see patients, and you can book appointments through your practice. However, some GPs may direct patients to other local services.
The Pharmacy First scheme provides access to prescription drugs without the need to see your doctor for several common conditions including earache, infected bites and sore throats, as well as urinary tract infections in women. You can find more information about this online at nhs.uk.
Patients can also use NHS 111 Online to get advice, but as always, we are asking people to please use 999 only in a serious or life-threatening emergency.
Collective action by GPs is not industrial action as these are not employees. For example, this means that unlike with a strike mandate, there is no end date, no requirement to seek a mandate renewal after six months, and no obligation to provide advance notice.
We are running social media posts to inform patients, and we are in close contact with practices to understand their intentions.
What are we doing to help patients?
We will be working closely with communications teams to make sure we can share with you information on how services in Milton Keynes are operating.
However, it's likely that you will find the most up to date information from your GP surgery directly.
Please tell us if you're having trouble getting an appointment, and/or if services are different to what you'd expect, and we can try to help.
