Doctors reject GP surgery funding offer
A vote by doctors over funding for GP surgeries by the Department of Health has been rejected.
Members of the medics' trade union, the British Medical Association (BMA), held a referendum on whether to accept a government proposal for core funding for services.
A total of 99.6% of GPs who took part in the referendum voted to reject the offer.
The BMA said its demands included urgent money to address the rise in costs because of increased national insurance contributions and a 1% uplift in core funding.
On Tuesday Health Minister Mike Nesbitt announced a funding package to help health employers mitigate against the rise in National Insurance costs.
The BMA decided to ballot its members after it said negotiations on the 2025-26 GP contract with the Department of Health stalled.
It has warned that there may be more GP contracts handed back and some practices unable to remain financially viable.
BMA NI GP committee chair, Dr Frances O'Hagan, said the result of the referendum was "extremely clear".
"GPs in Northern Ireland do not think this offer is enough to stabilise or save general practice in NI," she said.
Dr O'Hagan said the £5 million offered "for indemnity will not fully cover the costs GPs incur and which they propose to restrict to GP partners only, and a contribution to the increased national insurance costs may not be enough to cover the actual cost to GPs".
She has called on Nesbitt and the Department to return to the negotiating table with a "credible offer".
She has written to the minister requesting an urgent meeting with him.
"GPs are as, if not more, frustrated as patients with the level of access we can provide with the current funding – additional funding into core general practice will allow practices to hire more staff including more GPs and this will provide more access."
As part of the referendum, GPs were asked if they were willing to take further, collective action if a better offer was not presented, with 89% of respondents indicating they would be willing to do so.
A total of 1,381 people voted in the referendum, about 65% of eligible voters.
The Department of Health has been contacted for comment.
GPs 'facing closure' over national insurance hike
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