For news, opinion and updates from the sessional GPs committee, read the latest newsletter.
The sessional GPs committee is part of the BMA's GPC (general practitioners committee). We provide national representation for all salaried and locum GPs.
Members come from a range of backgrounds and careers and draw on their knowledge and experience to speak up and fight for a fairer deal for sessional GPs.
Our priorities
The Value of a GP
We need GPs now more than ever.
As patient need soars, general practice is buckling under immense pressure. GPs are leaving the profession at an alarming rate, driven by burnout, unmanageable workloads, and the pull of more attractive careers abroad. Even more concerning, many fully trained GPs remain unemployed or underemployed while communities struggle to access care.
In response, GPC UK has produced The Value of a GP, a comprehensive new report that brings together a robust body of evidence to highlight the irreplaceable role of general practice in the UK.
The report demonstrates the far-reaching impact of GPs, not only on the health and experience of individual patients but on the overall efficiency, sustainability, and economic value of the NHS itself.
General practice is at a pivotal moment. Without bold and immediate action to support and retain GPs, we risk the collapse of a service that underpins the entire NHS.
We endeavour to:
- consider all matters of interest for salaried and locum GPs
- lead on all GPC issues that primarily affect sessional GPs
- respond to relevant consultations affecting sessional GPs
- work with other subcommittees as and when required on the development of policy and the production of guidance.
Our vision
Our people
Chair: Mark Steggles
Deputy chair: Krishan Aggarwal
Executive members: Amy Small and Veno Suri
East Midlands
Kalindi Krishna Tumurugoti
East of England
Mark Steggles
London
Krishan Aggarwal and Veno Suri
North East
Rachel McMahon
North West
Mark Coley
Northern Ireland
Craig Wylie
Scotland
Jennifer MacDonald
South West
L-J (Laura-Jane) Evans
South East Coast
Sarah Westerbeek
South Central
Samar Bhutoria
Wales
Bethan Roberts
West Midlands
Alicia Barnes
Yorkshire and Humber
Amy Small
UK representatives
Samuel Parker and David Mummery
Take part in one of our free courses designed to give you the right skills to:
- break down equality and inclusion bias (CPD-accredited)
- value difference and inclusivity
- live our BMA behaviour principles.
Our meetings
The sessional GPs committee meets four times a year to discuss the issues that affect all salaried and locum GPs. These meetings are open to committee members only, but non-members can apply for the BMA committee visitors scheme.
Committee meetings:
- Wednesday 17 July 2024 (hybrid)
- Monday 21 October 2024 (virtual)
- Friday 14 March 2025 (hybrid)
- Wednesday 11 June2025 (virtual)
All meetings take place from 10am to 4pm either virtually or at:
BMA House
Tavistock Square
London
WC1H 9JP
For more information, email [email protected]
Conference 2024
The 2024 Conference for Sessional GPs was held on 20 September at BMA House and online.
Morning
-
Sessional GP vision/manifesto + Q&A
Dr Mark Steggles and Dr Bethan Roberts, sessional GP committee chair and executive member. -
[37:50] Future models of General Practice: potential of a salaried service vs. ICD model + Q&A Prof Azeem Majeed and Claire Bannon.
-
[1:15:45] ARRS/PAs: establishing new professional partnerships with new clinical roles + Q&A Dr Veno Suri.
- Watch the morning session.
Afternoon
-
Local representation in the four nations + Q&A
Dr Patricia Moultrie and Dr Bethan Roberts. -
[35:00] Soapbox/committee panel
Sessional GP committee executive. - Watch the afternoon session.
How to join
There are many advantages to becoming involved in our committees. You can actively influence BMA policy-making and negotiations, represent your colleagues' voices and develop your leadership skills.
Each committee has a few routes to becoming an elected member. In the case of sessional GPs committee, this is:
- Seats/term - every three years, elections for one sessional GPs representative (with at least two salaried GPs and two freelance/locum GPs*) from each of the 13 UK regions, including Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, take place for a three-session term.
- Timeline - elections are usually held in March or April.
- Eligibility - all sessional GPs who are BMA members in the UK are eligible to stand in this election. All GPs can vote in this election.
*Salaried or freelance/locum GPs will be eligible if, for the six months before the election, their NHS general practice performer's work has been solely as a salaried and/or freelance GP (excluding work as a GP appraiser) or a GP trainee, and an average of at least seven hours per week of NHS general practice work has been undertaken for that period.
The election section below is kept up to date with details about any running elections, so make sure you keep checking it throughout the year.
Get in touch
If you want to find out more about the sessional GPs committee and their work, or you have ideas to share, or require their support, please contact: [email protected]
Elections
Nominations are being sought for the election of voting members to fill vacancies on the Sessional GPs committee. Members will be elected to serve out the remainder of a three-year term. The committee’s regions are based on the ten BMA English regional councils below, plus one seat in each of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland:
- East Midlands
- East of England
- London
- North East
- North West
- Northern Ireland
- Scotland
- South West
- South East Coast
- South Central
- Wales
- West Midlands
- Yorkshire and Humber
You can nominate and vote via the BMA’s online elections website.
To stand or vote in the election read the eligibility criteria.
- Sessional GPs will be eligible if, for the six months before election, their general practice performer’s work has been solely as a sessional GP (excluding work as a GP appraiser) or a GP registrar, and an average of one or more session per week of general practice work has been undertaken for that period. A GP registrar can stand in the election as long as they will be a sessional GP from the point of election. Once elected, they must continue to meet Sessional GP status and working time requirements. Each member shall be required to inform the Chair of the committee and the Secretariat if their clinical commitment falls below the required minimum sessions at any point during the committee’s three-session term, within four weeks of this change taking effect.*
*The above requirements shall be waived where a GP is prevented from meeting them by sickness or absence on maternity / parental / adoptive leave or other exceptional circumstances approved by the returning officer or their nominated deputy. This exemption applies for a period of no more than twelve months, and in order to be eligible for committee membership, the GP must have met the requirement for the six months prior to the sickness / maternity / parental / adoptive leave period. The GP must have a reasonable expectation of returning to clinical practice and meeting the requirements and intend to do so.
- Retainer scheme GPs can stand regardless of their time commitment
- Candidates will be required to confirm the regional constituency or devolved nation in which their BMA registered address is, at the time of nomination for the election.
- Alternatively, the sessional GP may choose, with relevant evidence, which constituency to align with based on their working patterns (e.g. where a member provides their GP clinical services, or where they have spent the majority of their working time over the previous six months or, if they have recently begun employment in another region, the region in which they will spend the majority of their working time over the next six months).
TO VOTE IN THIS ELECTION:
GPs may vote in the Sessional GP Committee election provided they meet one of the following criteria:
A. They are a salaried or freelance/locum GPs whose, for the six months before election, NHS general practice performer's work has been solely as a salaried and / or freelance GP (excluding work as a GP appraiser) or a GP trainee and have undertaken an average of at least seven hours per week of NHS general practice work for that period.
B. They are a retainer scheme GP.
Nominations
Nominations open at 12pm Friday 7 March 2025 and close at 12pm Friday 21 March 2025.
Voting
The ballot opens at 12pm Monday 24 March 2025 and closes at 12pm Tuesday 22 April 2025.
Results
Results will be published shortly after voting closes.
GPC England
Have you participated in the GPC England elections?
The BMA is working to meet the challenges that women face in the medical profession.
Stand for a BMA committee and be part of this change.