Surgeries won't survive, say GPs in pay row protest
GPs said without urgent action practices "won't survive" as more than 100 doctors came together to protest for better pay.
Campaigners gathered in Birmingham on Saturday to call on the government to act over the below-inflation pay uplift to NHS contracts.
The group said that with six million more patients to see and almost 2,000 less doctors as compared to 2015, the crisis is putting patient safety at risk.
However, the Department of Health said the new contracts would "provide the biggest reduction of unnecessary bureaucracy" in two decades.
The British Medical Association (BMA) members said they were "calling for the government to fix the crisis in general practice", adding "without urgent action we won't survive".
Dr Gavin Shields, a GP in Coventry and vice chairman of Coventry Local Medical Committee said: "The uplift that they've given for the contract this year is just not going to sustain practices.
"Practices are starting to go over the edge. A lot of practices are very close to closing and thinking about how they're going to survive."
Doctors at the protest said a 1.9% increase for each patient brought in last month was not enough.
Dr Tilo Scheel, a GP in Burton-upon-Trent, said: "Every day we are inundated with requests and there's only so much we can do on a given day."
The BMA said GPs were carrying out 400 million appointments a year yet received 30p per day per person. It also said 106 surgeries closed last year.
Dr Gill Farmer, GP and secretary of Worcestershire Local Medical Committee added: "We don't want to be here today. We know it's upsetting for patients and its upsetting for us too."
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said GPs were "at the heart of communities and we hugely value their work".
"We listened to their feedback and the new contract will provide the biggest reduction of unnecessary bureaucracy in 20 years, while also giving them more autonomy to run local practices," they added.
“It is disappointing the BMA GP Committee is taking steps towards collective action, instead of waiting for the outcome of this year’s Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration where further pay uplifts may be made to their contract.”
