GPs enter dispute with Scottish Government in first step towards strikes

Scottish GPs have moved into formal dispute with the Scottish Government, the British Medical Association in Scotland has announced.

Doctors said “enough is enough” as they took the first steps in preparation for a ballot on industrial action, such as striking.

“Today, the Scottish GPC (GP Committee) has written to the cabinet secretary for health and informed him we have entered into formal dispute with Scottish Government,” BMA Scotland leaders said.

“Legally, this is the next step in escalating our concerns in preparation for a ballot of the profession on taking disruptive action.

“I want to make it clear, no one wants this escalation to take place, and urgent talks with the cabinet secretary and Scottish Government continue to identify how they can work with us to provide full funding restoration and exit this dispute.”

In a BMA wellbeing survey, half of the practices questioned their sustainability, and 90% of the profession were willing to take disruptive action in response to the “generation of neglect” of GP services.

The dispute comes down to what the professional association for GPs called the “erosion” of funding provided to general practice since 2008.

The BMA Scotland said General Practice continues to face significant challenges delivering the core services doctors “so dearly want to protect for our patients”.

The BMA hit out at the “ridiculous paradox” of being forced to look at what hours can be cut from practices to balance the books at a time of “more demand on services than ever”.

“The impact this is having on the locum market and job opportunities, especially for our newly qualified GPs is shockingly stark,” BMA Scotland said.

“These are the exact reasons we have launched our Stand with your Surgery Campaign and called for £290m full funding restoration to come direct to GP practices.”

The BMA said GPs need this funding to “stabilise the situation and employ more GPs to meet demand”.

“It will provide the foundations from which we can then begin to look to a brighter future for our practices and our patients,” the letter stated.

The Scottish GP Committee of the BMA, on the back of the results and lack of progress in negotiations, have voted unanimously to enter a formal dispute with the Scottish Government.

“We have been told, time and time again, that resource must shift to the community, but with no attempt to even begin to plug the £290m gap in 2025/26 the lack of action to support the rhetoric continues,” the letter from the BMA stated.

The BMA slammed the Scottish Government for accepting the Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) report while “neglecting” the inflation of staff and non-staff costs for GPs.

“[It] means no practice in Scotland will be able to deliver upon the recommendations without impacting on services or Partners’ bearing the cost, with little hope to realise the sub-inflationary pay uplift. Enough is enough,” BMA Scotland said.

Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “The Scottish Government values greatly the work of general practice and is actively taking forward discussions with the BMA over this summer to avert escalation of this dispute and address the BMA’s concerns.

“The BMA entering into formal dispute with us will not affect the care patients receive”.