GPs need ‘urgent’ financial support to take on measles work, says BMA

GP practices are in urgent need of support to tackle the ongoing measles incident, the BMA has warned.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has declared a national incident due to increasing cases of measles.

GPs have been asked to deliver a catch-up MMR vaccination programme for children aged between 12 months and five years, and in response to recent outbreaks, NHS England launched a campaign this month for children aged six to 11 who still require the vaccine.

GPs were told to prepare for an increase in enquiries, and NHS England advised healthcare professionals, including GP practice staff, to wear PPE when dealing with suspected measles cases.

The BMA’s GP Committee has told Pulse that GPs need to be resourced to cover this work safely, especially at a time when general practice is already under pressure. 

Deputy chair of GPC England Dr David Wrigley said: ‘If GPs can take on this work, they urgently need additional support for a measles vaccination programme and the financial resources to help cover the work required to identify the cohort of patients, before contacting them and inviting them to special clinics that will be needed. 

‘This would also cover resources for the staff who will be required to deliver the vaccinations, including being provided adequate supplies of PPE.’

He added: ‘This campaign mustn’t impact on normal day to day care. General practice is already stretched beyond capacity and we need to rapidly move ahead with this in a safe and sustainable way.’

The issue of PPE in general practice was highlighted in the House of Lords last week, where Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle questioned the Government on who would bear the cost. 

She asked: ‘My Lords, NHS England is recommending that all our staff in GP surgeries who deal with patients with suspected and confirmed cases of measles—which, given the symptoms, means a large number of patients—should wear PPE. 

‘Is the Minister confident that there are enough supplies of PPE? Do the GPs have to bear the extra cost of that PPE or will there be support from the centre to ensure that cost is covered?’

In response, Lord Evans of Rainow said: ‘I am not aware of any issues in GP practices when GPs are meeting patients from their communities to discuss vaccinating their children.’

Chairman of Gateshead and South Tyneside LMC Dr Paul Evans told Pulse that practices in his area have received no extra funding to cover measles catch-up work.

‘We do it because there’s no other service that will do it. I suppose the only other funding would be we get £10.06, a fee that has not changed in many years, for every vaccine we give – which, frankly, doesn’t cover the cost of attempting to chase these people and get them in,’ he said. 

Dr Evans also said there is ‘absolutely no indication’ that local commissioners will consider funding PPE in general practice. 

Although his practice has not yet seen any measles cases, he told Pulse vaccination rates have ‘definitely fallen in the last few years’, which is ‘deeply concerning’.

He added: ‘We’ve contacted the parents of all children who have not had the vaccination so far in an attempt to at least offer it, however, it is probably fair to say that uptake has not been great…we’re fairly certain we’re not going to change their minds just because we’re offering it again.’ 

In England, there were 209 confirmed cases of measles from January to November 2023, and 1,613 suspected cases for the entire year, which is more than double the number in 2022. 

Latest UKHSA figures showed that in the third week of January there were 113 suspected cases of measles across England and Wales, over a third of which (41) were in the West Midlands. This compares to just 12 cases across England and Wales in the same week last year.