Collective Action
Following the almost universal support for both the referendum and non-statutory ballot, the LMC is now encouraging every practice in LLR to undertake at least one of the 10 collective actions.
This will be a marathon and not a sprint. Practices can implement as many of the actions as they like at a rate that they feel comfortable with. I have attached a supportive document from your LMC for you to discuss with your practice teams.
It is time that we protect practices and not the system. It is time when we work to improve patient services, patient safety and patient satisfaction.
Last year, by the majority of LLR practices working together, we achieved significant improvements in local contracts. If we work together across England we can achieve similar improvements in the national contract, benefitting general practices and our patients.
You may be asked to provide information to the ICB or NHS E about what actions your practice intends to undertake. YOU DO NOT need to respond to these requests.
GPCE plans to send GP Collective Action tracker directly to GP Practices and it would be helpful if practices can engage where appropriate. The LMC will continue to update practices and this page when necessary.
Rejecting a rejection
As part of collective action, we have included templates to attach to referrals, if not completing prism forms
If a referral is rejected or further information is requested, which isn’t relevant to a referral is being asked for, we are attaching another template that can be used.
Please remember the principles of a referral as from the GMC: https://www.gmc-uk.org/professional-standards/professional-standards-for-doctors/delegation-and-referral/delegation-and-referral.
Following the overwhelming YES vote in our ballot over the summer, practices are starting to take action as part of our ‘Protect your Patients and Protect your Practice‘ campaign.
GPC England have published a ‘Safe working guidance’ handbook to help GPs and practices in the delivery of safe, high-quality care for their patients and communities. The profession wants to provide care without risking harm to others or ourselves.
At a time of unprecedented pressures, we must make changes to our workload to preserve patient care in the face of a shrinking workforce and rising demand. This will help to protect the sustainability and future of general practice.
We recommend you do this by focusing on the delivery of General Medical Services, in line with the needs of your patients and practice, and deprioritising work and activities that fall outside of your core contractual requirements. This guidance reflects the contractual changes imposed by NHS England in April 2024. We offer ways of doing this that still enable you to stay within the terms of your GMS/PMS.
The guidance outlines how to manage workload effectively, setting safe limits of 25 patient consultations per day in line with UEMO recommendations, and encouraging practices to adopt systems that protect both patients and staff.
The BMA handbook can be downloaded and saved from the website: www.bma.org.uk/GPsSafeWorking.
Further guidance and resources such webinars and FAQs can also be accessed, with patient information posters and social media graphics to download and share.
We cannot care for our patients if we do not care for ourselves and our colleagues.
Useful guidance:
- BMA guidance on Collective Action
- BMA guidance for Salaried GPs and Locum GPs during Collective Action