GP leaders in England will not escalate collective action this month

GP leaders in England have confirmed they will not introduce any new collective action during August, following recent discussions with the Government.

The British Medical Association (BMA) said its General Practitioners Committee for England had decided to pause any further escalation this month while negotiations continue. Existing collective action measures introduced since May remain in place, but no additional actions will be launched in August.

Since May, GP practices taking part in collective action have been encouraged to stop entering new voluntary data-sharing agreements for secondary uses of patient data, switch off or bypass non-contractual medicines optimisation software, and decline new shared care arrangements that are not supported by appropriate commissioning, funding and governance. The BMA says these actions are designed to remain within GP contractual obligations while highlighting concerns about workload and patient safety.

The dispute centres on the 2026/27 GP contract, which the BMA says failed to address key concerns around workload, funding and the increasing transfer of responsibilities from hospitals into general practice. GP leaders have said they remain willing to work with ministers to find a negotiated solution but warned that further action could still be considered if sufficient progress is not made.

The decision not to escalate collective action this month provides a period of stability for practices and patients while discussions continue. However, the BMA has made clear that the current measures remain in force and that it continues to press the Government for changes it believes are necessary to make general practice sustainable in the longer term.

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