Nearly half of GP practices in England are already taking some form of industrial action in response to a new NHS contract, a survey suggests.
The British Medical Association said GPs voted overwhelmingly in favour of the move when it announced the result of a vote earlier this month.
The militant union has threatened to paralyse the NHS with a catalogue of crippling measures implemented at a “slow pace”.
However, a rapid survey of 283 GP partners by specialist magazine Pulse reveals that 46 per cent are already taking some kind of action and 20 per cent plan to do so in the future. Only 7 per cent ruled out taking any action.
Nearly half of GP practices in England are staging strikes that threaten to paralyse the NHS (file photo)
But a snap survey of 283 GP partners by specialist magazine Pulse reveals that 46 per cent are already taking some form of action and 20 per cent plan to do so in the future (file photo)
The BMA, which called the new contracts “derisory” and argued that a proposed 1.9 per cent budget increase would leave many surgeries struggling to stay afloat, said 98.3 per cent of the 8,500 votes were in favour of strike action.
Practices are encouraged to choose from a list of ten actions, and practices can choose how many to implement and when, including some that halve available consultations to a maximum of 25 per GP per day.
More than a quarter of practices that responded to the survey were already limiting patient contact, while 44 percent said they were considering it.
A quarter of GPs said they believe the strike measures will affect patients in the short term and 19 per cent in the long term. But most believe it will make no difference or will reduce harm.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting warned the move would be “punishing” for the public, while experts said the impact was likely to be “catastrophic”.