GPs across the United Kingdom turned their backs on their surgeries on Tuesday in protest against working conditions and increasing demands imposed by government policies.
At least 1000 GPs are estimated to have taken part in the activities, which ranged from closing surgeries to dressing up and putting up posters to raise awareness of the crisis affecting general practice. In Avon all 40 GPs in Weston-Super-Mare closed their surgeries. Their actions were mirrored up and down the country, with many GPs arranging emergency cover for patients so that they could make their feelings about working conditions felt.
In London GPs gathered at the Department of Health to petition the health secretary, Alan Milburn, directly about the rapid introduction of new government targets that they say cannot be achieved without a massive injection of cash and more family doctors.
Dr Cornel Fleming, a GP in north London and an executive member of the Small Practices Association, hired a locum for the day to join the protest at Westminster.
“I will be asking the health minister to come and talk to some of the grass roots GPs to see what conditions are really like. I had to work seven hours during my supposed weekend off to try catch up some paperwork, and I am still behind,” he said.
Dr Fleming complained bitterly about the prospect of GPs being forced to sign personal medical service contracts with their local trust. “I always thought that Labour supported trade unions, but here we are being told that the BMA can no longer represent us,” he said.
Although the BMA said that it understood GPs' complaints, it was unable to support the activities as it could be liable to prosecution under trade union laws.
Dr John Chisholm, chairman of the BMA's General Practitioners Committee, said: “I understand and share the concerns of general practitioners. Many of them are at breaking point because of their intolerable workload. It is important that the government listens to their concerns and takes urgent action to give patients the high quality service they deserve and which doctors want to provide—a service that protects patient health and safety, and the health of family doctors too.”