Are GPs working to rule in Lincolnshire?

Many GPs in the area are shying away from industrial action that could limit patient appointments and services.

The British Medical Association (BMA), a trade union for doctors, has told its members they can ‘work to rule’ rather than carrying out unpaid overtime and trying to cram in additional patients.

This could mean GPs limiting appointments to 25 a day. There have been reports of GPs seeing more than 30 a day.

Despite the BMA’s advice, issued on Thursday last week following a ballot in which 98% of its GP members backed taking the action, working to rule locally has been limited.

Speaking on behalf of the Munro Medical Centre in West Elloe Avenue, Spalding, practice manager Mary Barnes said: “We’re not surprised that the BMA is taking action in view of the failure in the last three years for funding arrangements to cover rapidly growing cost and demand pressures. However, this is not the fault of our patients.

“Therefore, we’ve no current plans to take industrial action as we want to give the new government the opportunity to resolve this by negotiation.”

Lakeside Healthcare runs The Stamford Surgery and The Hereward Practice in Bourne. On both of these practices’ websites, Lakeside has shared details of a BMA campaign called 'GPs Are on Your Side', which says primary healthcare is underfunded and tries to involve patients in improving this.

A spokesperson for The Stamford Surgery and The Hereward Practice said: “We have shared information about this campaign on our websites and social media to ensure that patients are aware of the issues and challenges currently facing general practice.

“We do not have any plans to limit the access we offer our patients or the direct services we are contracted to provide. However, we fully support the concerns raised by the BMA.”

GP surgeries in Grantham, Oakham and Uppingham were also contacted.