BMA says 99% of GP partners in Northern Ireland have voted for 'unprecedented' industrial action in bid for better funding

A British Medical Association (BMA) referendum found 98.7% voted for collective action that will see GP practices take the unprecedented step of withdrawing some non-funded services.

The industrial action could see GPs;-

1. Limit daily patient consultations to 25 per day.

2. Stop voluntary activity such as ordering non-emergency ambulances for outpatients, ordering pre-procedural medications or medications used for hospital tests, and complex wound and ulcer dressings

3. Cease completion of unfunded paperwork such as that linked to social housing applications, education provision, Home Office applications and benefits applications,

4. Switch off Medicines Optimisation Software which often pop up on screens during consultations. These may not always be in the patient’s best interest as they are used for financial purposes, the BMA says.

Dr Frances O’Hagan, chair of BMA’s Northern Ireland general practitioners committee, said that 2025/26 marks the first time the department has "imposed" the annual contract on GPs on what services they must provide.

"Therefore, it should come as no surprise that GP partners have voted overwhelmingly in favour of taking the unprecedented step of collective action to force improvements to the 2025/2026 contract offer and save general practice from all-out collapse,” she said.

She said the department has offered less than a penny for each patient every week to improve access to GP services.

In response, the Department said the BMA must honour their contracts in the services they provide to patients.

The Department recognises that GPs and their teams are working hard but are struggling to meet the demand from patients, he said.

However, the financial challenges facing the Department are "well-known" and the £9.5m in additional funding offered was the best it could manage.

The Minister "remains open to discussion" on the way forward.

Alliance Health spokesperson Nuala McAllister MLA said: “The Health Minister needs to urgently get round the table with GPs and resolve this ongoing crisis, to help give GP practices the ability to see more patients. Otherwise, those who will suffer the most are the people of Northern Ireland.”