Escalated GP collective action could see ‘coordinated’ practice closures and walkouts

Exclusive GP leaders will vote on escalating collective action in England, including ‘coordinated’ practice closures for an agreed period of time and ‘collective walkouts’.

At a special conference in London next week, LMC representatives from across England will vote on a motion calling on the BMA to ballot the profession ‘immediately’ on ‘escalating industrial action’, according to agenda documents seen by Pulse but not yet published by the BMA.

The action could include coordinated practice closures, coordinated closure of practice lists and a series of ‘collective walkout’ days, where practices would run ‘skeleton set-ups’, according to the motion.

LMC leaders will also vote on calling on the BMA’s GP committee to organise a ‘coordinated national day of protest’ by all GPs and their staff, which would include practice closures and mass demonstrations, as well as ‘marches and peaceful protests’ to promote general practice.

The conference will also vote on collecting undated resignations from GP contract holders to use as part of any industrial action recommended by the GPC, and on future industrial action to include ‘targeted efforts’ to ‘disband’ PCNs, with a demand to reallocate their resources directly into core funding.

It follows six months of GP collective action during which practices have been able to choose from a list of nine options recommended by the BMA, designed not to breach practice contracts.

Following the 2025/26 GP contract deal, collective action will now be aimed at ICBs rather than the Government, with GP leaders advising practices to continue at a local level.

Last year, GPC chair Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer said that GP industrial action was unlikely to involve practices ‘shutting their doors’ to patients.

The BMA said it has taken legal advice on certain motions which presented ‘potential difficulties’, including practice closures as part of collective action.

The advice, published as part of the conference agenda, said: ‘If the BMA calls for practice closures, walkouts and arbitrary list closures, it will risk inducing GPs to breach their contracts, unlike the current options for collective action which do not induce GPs to breach their contracts.

‘The main legal issue with calling on GP contractors to breach their medical services contracts is that while the law provides some protection from dismissal to employees who participate in a lawfully organised strike, it provides no similar protection to contractors like GP contractors.

‘A GP contractor who breaches their contract while participating in industrial action, has no protection from the ICB exercising their rights under the contract to issue breach notices, remedial notices and ultimately terminate the contract.’

The conference agenda also demands that the Government decides whether practices are considered as either NHS entities or private businesses.

If considered as NHS entities, the Government should commit to full reimbursement of any increase to employer’s costs caused by the Autumn Budget, while if they are considered private businesses, restraints on trade, such as the prohibition of most private services to NHS registered patients, should be removed from the GMS contract.

It demands that GPCE should publish a schedule of minimum private tariffs for services, for ‘immediate implementation’ if it is established that GMS practices are private businesses and not considered to be NHS entities.

The special conference, taking place in London on 19 March, was organised after in November GP leaders determined it would be required ‘to discuss and determine’ what ‘escalatory steps’ will be needed to ensure the survival pf general practice, and to discuss the impact of the Autumn Budget changes.