A union chief at the British Medical Association has resigned from his role as tensions with the government continue to escalate over face-to-face appointments.
Dr Richard Vautrey, who was chairman of the BMA’s GP committee, has opposed plans by the health secretary, Sajid Javid, and NHS England to record the number of in-person consultations between family doctors and patients.
Vautrey argues that the move will result in the “naming and shaming” of GP centres that do not fulfil their required quota, at a time when the profession faces increased pressure owing to the pandemic.
Vautrey, who held his post for four years, said that he believed that it was the “right time for a new chair to take this role” and oversee negotiations for a new contract for family doctors.
His decision to step back comes after The Times reported over the weekend a growing discontent within the ranks of the BMA.
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Members in favour of strike action hope to install union candidates sympathetic to their cause in regional offices, engendering a walkout by GPs.
Announcing his support for strike action by doctors, Vautrey has said: “GPs have been left with no alternative but to take this action. All efforts to persuade the government to introduce a workable plan that will bring immediate and longer-term improvement for doctors and their patients have so far come to nought.
“The government has completely ignored our requests for a reduction in bureaucracy to allow us to focus more on patient care, and we are therefore encouraging doctors to withdraw from this bureaucracy themselves.
“The ultimate outcome should be to end the current crisis in general practice, to properly support practices to manage their workload pressure, including safely getting through the backlog of care caused by the pandemic, and deliver a safe service to patients, allowing time to create an agreed long-term plan to make general practice sustainable for the future.”
Colleagues of Vautrey, who was based in Leeds, said that he would be missed and that he had championed the causes of GPs throughout his tenure.
