Streeting says BMA is being 'impossible' in GP dispute

Wes Streeting has accused the British Medical Association of being “impossible” and issuing “misleading” information in an escalation of tensions with the doctors union.

- Denis Campbell Health policy editor

In an unusual move, the health secretary yesterday wrote to England’s 50,000 GPs to convey his frustration with the BMA over implementation of recent changes that from last month made it easier for patients to contact GPs online between 8am and 6.30pm from Monday to Friday.

He has underlined his concern about the union’s behaviour by ending its longstanding role as the sole negotiator of the annual GP contract, which covers doctors’ pay and terms and conditions.

Streeting's letter was prompted by a speech this month by the head of the BMA’s GP committee, Dr Katie Bramall, in which she accused ministers of being “traitors” to their profession and of betraying and lying to them.

In it he referenced the speech that Bramall gave on 7 November to the annual conference of local medical committees - local groups of GPs - in England. She accused the government of being “traitors” to the profession and of “disingenuousness”, “duplicity” and “gaslighting”.