GPs told not to engage with Government plan to increase face-to-face appointments

Thousands of GPs have been told not to engage in “any aspect” of the Government’s “disastrous” plan to increase access to face-to-face appointments.

The Surrey and Sussex Local Medical Council, an independent body representing 3,300 practices in the area, wrote to members calling the plan “politically motivated”.

In a letter seen by Pulse, Dr Julius Parker, the Council’s chief executive, told practices not to take part in “any aspect of these proposals” until local negotiations can find a “clinically evidenced alternative process”.

A new £250 million fund for GP practices to help them improve patient access was announced by the Government last week.

Practices were told they must “respect preferences” for in-person appointments and should use the money to extend opening hours or offer walk-in consultations.

Further details of the plan from NHS England said commissioners have two weeks to identify the worst performing practices for offering face-to-face appointments.

The bottom 20 per cent could be asked to partner with other practices to improve, or face “contract sanctions” which will be decided by commissioners – this could include a referral to the health watchdog.

Doctors groups hit back at the plan and accused the Government of being “out of touch” with the crisis.

The SSLMC appears to be the first group to actively encourage practices to ignore the plans, adding that the timescales “should be of no concern” to them.

“You are under no obligation to respond to any requests for meetings, discussion, reflection, analysis or to provide any commentary if the CCG [Clinical Commissioning Groups] contact you about what will be the inadequate data which they are obliged to rely on,” the letter said.

“At this point the LMC does not recommend practices engage with this initiative or respond to it. It has no contractual standing and there is no requirement to do so,” it added.

Dr Parker said “none of these proposals” are in the GPs contracts.

An NHS spokesperson said: “Some patients have experienced challenges and we expect primary care to engage with how they can use the resources being made available to maximise the access for patients over winter.”