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Belfast Telegraph
19-05-2025
- Health
- Belfast Telegraph
Nesbitt to implement GP contract already rejected by doctors
Mr Nesbitt told the Northern Ireland Assembly he is not 'looking for a fight', but said he will not make promises he cannot keep or 'agree to demands that the budget cannot possibly satisfy'. Dr Frances O'Hagan, chairwoman of the British Medical Association (BMA) Northern Ireland GP committee, said it is an 'understatement' to say members are 'shocked and angry' by the move. She said they will now consult on next steps. The minister has offered a package of £9.5 million in additional core funding for services for GPs. But last week the BMA said 99.6% of GPs who took part in a referendum voted to reject the 2025/26 General Medical Services (GMS) contract offered by the Department of Health. Delivering a statement to the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday, Mr Nesbitt said he questioned the 'wisdom of tabling unachievable demands, at a time when the budgetary pressures are at an all-time high'. He added: 'I also have to respectfully wonder what they hope to achieve by treating an ally of primary care as an adversary. 'All, of course, is fair in love, war and funding bids. But these tactics make absolutely no sense to me.' Mr Nesbitt said the BMA has asked for an extra £80 million, but told MLAs this would be used to deliver 'more of the same'. The minister said he wants to see 'concrete proposals' from the BMA around access to GP surgeries. 'Of course, we still have many exceptional GP practices, but, from the messages we receive directly from patients, I can see that some are still having to phone hundreds of times in the hope of securing an appointment to see their GP,' he said. 'That's not sustainable.' Mr Nesbitt said he remains '100% committed' to dialogue with the BMA. But he added: 'There is nothing to be gained from further contract negotiations, which would only offer false hope that a better offer might be forthcoming. It will not. 'We are at the end point for this year. 'I have therefore taken the decision to go ahead and implement the contract on offer. 'I do so mindful of the pressure GPs are facing in relation to national insurance bills and the long-standing concerns about indemnity cover. 'I want the funding I have been able to earmark for these areas to be released and to provide immediate assistance. 'Further delay will help no-one. 'Of course, as always, I will continue to engage closely with the BMA and GPs moving forward. 'My door is always open for genuine engagement and discussions.' We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content Dr O'Hagan said: 'This is the first time a sitting health minister in Northern Ireland has chosen to impose the GMS contract on GPs, so to say we are shocked and angry at this decision would be an understatement. 'We have been warning for well over a decade now that general practice cannot continue in the way it has been – trying to meet increasing demand with fewer GPs and insufficient resource, leading to collapse by contract hand-backs and closure. 'Rather than trying to address this imbalance, the minister seems content with the status quo to continue. 'All GPs want to do is deliver a service to their patients that meets their needs. 'The funding we require would not only do that, but it would also provide the level of access they deserve and we want to give. 'The contract being imposed by the minister will not allow us to do that.' She added: 'The results of our referendum were extremely clear – 99.6% of GPs do not think the contract offer that is now being imposed is enough to stabilise or save general practice in Northern Ireland. 'We will now consult with our members to decide the next steps.'
Belfast Telegraph
14-05-2025
- Health
- Belfast Telegraph
Health Minister says latest funding package ‘absolute limit' after almost all NI GPs turn down government offer
The British Medical Association (BMA), a trade union for medics, revealed that 99.6% of those 1,381 GPs who responded to their ballot voted to reject the 25/26 General Medical Services contract offer from the department. BMA representatives say they cannot move forward without a firm commitment from the department for additional core funding for general practice. GPs across Northern Ireland will now be asked to vote in a referendum on whether they would accept or reject the proposals from the department as they currently stand. BMA NI GP committee chair Dr Frances O'Hagan said: 'We are deeply disappointed that we have got to this point, however it became clear in the negotiation meetings that the Department was not listening to our asks for more core funding, a full indemnity solution for all GPs and urgent funding to address the increase in National Insurance costs. 'Our asks are simple and will help stabilise general practice. Without more funding we will see more contract hand backs as some practices will no longer be financially viable.' In the negotiations, BMA was asking for the Department of Health to agree a 1% uplift in the core GP contract, full indemnity for all GPs and full cost recovery for the increase in NIC contributions. Mr Nesbitt said he met with BMA GP representatives on the 2025/26 contract and 'underlined the budgetary realities that I currently face this year'. He added: 'In short, there is a projected half billion pound-plus shortfall between available monies and financial requirements across health and social care services. 'Despite these challenges, a package of £9.5 million additional funding is on offer to GPs. 'While I am determined to invest in and expand primary care going forward, this package is at the absolute limit of what is achievable this year. The package remains on the table.' Alliance Health spokesperson Nuala McAllister has also urged the health minister to ensure that 'sustainable funding for GP practices is prioritised', saying that Northern Ireland cannot have services that are fit for purpose without adequate provision. The North Belfast MLA added: 'To say the result of the BMA's ballot was overwhelming does not even appear to adequately describe the scale of rejection. That 99.6% of votes received were in opposition to the Department of Health (DoH)'s proposals, GPs could not make their opposition more evident. 'We recently met with members of the GP Committee and it was clearly expressed that, instead of improving the financial stability of general practices, the proposed contract terms would result in an overall net loss of funding. 'At a time when we are seeing an increasing number of practices handing contracts back due to lack of financial viability, DoH need to be working collaboratively with GPs to understand what is needed to secure their future. 'Given that 89% of respondents also indicated their willingness to take further collective action if required, it is crucial that the Minister prioritises reopening discussions urgently, as I understand Dr Frances O'Hagan, Chair of the BMA GP Committee in Northern Ireland, has already written to him requesting a meeting. 'Inability to access care from GPs is one of the most common complaints we receive as elected representatives. This will not change unless the Health Minister ensures general practice is sustainably funded. Without a fit for purpose contract, we won't have fit for purpose services.' Dr O'Hagan also said that 'the department has focused on access issues for patients in the negotiations'. She added: 'We asked the Department for a final offer to put to GPs, as we have made a commitment that GPs across Northern Ireland will be able to vote on this year's offer, but the Department have not replied to our most recent letter. "Therefore, we have no other option but to ask GPs whether the proposals as they currently stand are enough. We are keen to hear the views of the profession to give us a mandate and advise us on the steps to move our negotiation forward. 'Without more funding there is a real risk that more practices will decide they have had enough and will close their doors for good. Others will have to take a hard look at their costs, including staffing costs and will have to decide if they can survive with fewer staff. 'Morale among GPs is at an all-time low. We already see 200,000 patients per week, 1 in 10 of the population, but we are being asked to see even more with less funding. It really has put the profession at breaking point. 'It's time now for GPs to tell us their views and we are encouraging all GPs to take part in our referendum, have their say and give us insight into what we do next.' The referendum will be open from 1st to 11th May 2025.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
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 Pharmacies fear cuts and closures over rising costs
