GPs urged to take collective action following ‘insufficient assurances’ over contract concerns

GPs in England have been urged to take part in collective action after receiving ‘insufficient assurances’ from the government over concerns with the new 2026/27 contract.

The British Medical Association (BMA)’s GP committee (GPC) England has called on GP practices to stop signing up to any new voluntary data sharing agreements (DSAs) that extract patient data for secondary uses.

The call, issued on Friday, follows 99% of almost 17,000 BMA GP members voting to reject the new GP contract that came into force last month.

The doctors’ union said that while discussions with the government had showed progress, including some required assurances and safeguards around how GPs may refer patients onward for specialist care, it still had concerns about how new same-day urgent care requirements will be met.  

A vote by the GPC, which closed on 1 May, saw more than half (53%) of the committee members voting in favour of taking collective action, according to Pulse PCN’s sister title Pulse.

As part of the collective action, the BMA urged GP practices to write to their integrated care boards (ICB), indicating that they will stop agreeing to voluntary DSAs from May 2026.

The union said that collective action will not advise or instruct any practices to breach their contract or obligations, but it foresees the action will impact the wider government’s agenda to shift care out of hospitals into practices.

But unless the government can deliver greater flexibility to reassure the profession, it may introduce further actions in future months, the BMA warned.

Speaking to Pulse, BMA GPC committee chair Dr Katie Bramall stressed the action will not impact patients and confirmed that its ‘target’ is the neighbourhood health service.

She said: ‘The target is the government’s neighbourhood health service, its planned left shift of work from acutes which is reliant on our population health management data, and the reminder ahead of the impending Health Bill of how seriously GPs and their patients take data controller responsibilities – which government wishes to take with the impending single care record.’

Moving care out of hospitals and into communities is a key pillar of the government’s 10-Year Health Plan, which involves developing new integrated neighbourhood teams and opening 250 neighbourhood health centres across the country.

BMA guidance for GPs on how to take part in collective action has told practices to:

• Send a template letter to their local ICB, indicating they will stop agreeing to voluntary secondary uses DSAs from May 2026;
• Refer any new DSA requests to the BMA;
• Carry out an audit of all existing DSAs that their practice is signed up to; and
• Initiate a conversation with their patient participation group (PPG).

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) confirmed that the government remains in discussions with the BMA GPC for England.

A DHSC spokesperson said: ‘There have been constructive talks with the BMA GPCE in recent weeks, and good progress has been made. As a result, the only action the BMA is taking is a data audit, which will help inform future discussions.   

‘It is important for patients to know that there will be no impact on patient services and that they should continue to contact their GP if they need to, as they normally would.

‘We will continue to engage with the BMA GPCE in the coming weeks to resolve outstanding issues and to avoid the need for any escalation.’