The BMA GPs Committee for England (GPC England) will ballot GPs in England on a ‘Plan B’, or an alternative strategy for general practice that would allow GPs greater freedom to provide private services to their patients. This follows the passing of a resolution at UK LMC Conference earlier this month that called for the consideration of a means-tested, subscription-based service, such as those being offered currently by NHS dentists.
In the coming BMA session, GPC England will engage in an extensive consultation of the wider profession on their support for an alternative contracting arrangement for general practice in England.
BMA GPs committee chair Dr Katie Bramall said: “The committee’s confidence in the future viability of their livelihoods, and of the profession itself within the NHS, is at an all-time low. Warnings have been repeatedly ignored by politicians that long-term under-investment in general practice, coupled with rising workloads, increasingly complex patient need, workforce attrition and contractual arrangements that leave practices vulnerable, will lead to GPs and practices being unable to deliver safe and sustainable care to their NHS patients.”
“Under current contractual arrangements, GPs are prevented from meeting patient demand for some services. These obstacles limit our ability to deliver the care patients ask for or deserve, restricting clinical flexibility.
“This exploration of an alternative model is a consequence of long-term political and systemic failure to protect NHS general practice and has left the profession deeply frustrated, with no other choice but to explore alternatives. This didn’t happen overnight; it has been a slow and gradual deterioration of morale within the profession. The need for this ballot can be prevented, but the Government must urgently engage with the very real concerns GPs have around their core contract, as well as their wellbeing and livelihoods, or we risk losing NHS general practice entirely. The latest contract imposition and the Government’s demand for GPs to provide unlimited access is the final straw for many.”
Ends.
Notes to editors
UK LMC motion 16: AGENDA COMMITTEE TO BE PROPOSED BY NORTHERN IRELAND EASTERN: That conference recognises that current GP contracts are failing patients and practices alike, that more GPs are opting to work outside the NHS and:
(i) calls for contracts that permit GPs to provide private services to their NHS patients when those services are not contractually available to their NHS patients
(ii) believes that general practice within the NHS is no longer financially viable and a move towards a hybrid NHS and private GP service is the only option for the future
(iii) calls for a strategy for exiting GMS contracts and future working outside the NHS
(iv) directs GPC UK to work with all GPCs to ballot the profession on a plan B option for general practice provision that includes consideration of a means-tested, subscription-based service, such as those being offered currently by NHS dentists.
Although UK LMC Conference can provide steers to national GPCs, no resolution from UK LMC is binding on any national GPC, as per standing order 15. Devolved decisions are the remit of national GPCs and their conferences. For this reason, the below vote by GPC England was required to enact part iv of motion 16.
GPCE vote: Following the passing of motion 16, specifically part iv, at UK LMC Conference on Thursday, 14th May 2026, GPC England were subsequently asked at their meeting on 21 May 2026 whether they support, within the next BMA session, balloting the profession on a plan B option for general practice provision that includes consideration of a means-tested, subscription-based service, such as those being offered currently by NHS dentists.
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