GP collective action update – April 2025
The new national GP contract for 2025/26 has been agreed between the British Medical Association (BMA) and Government. While this brings the national dispute to a close, GP practices, including those in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, are continuing to make changes to permanently re-set ways of working.
Since late 2024, some GPs within our area started to implement changes. As of April 2025, these changes to ways of working include:
- Practices working towards a cap of 25 clinical contacts per day, per clinician.
- Introducing the use of a single referral form to all providers.
- GPs returning work to other healthcare providers where they should have completed that part of care. For example, fit notes, requesting, chasing or follow-up of tests at the request of another provider.
- GPs may not take over prescribing medications that were started by specialists.
The ICB continues to work closely with all our partners to ensure services continue and to minimise disruption for local people.
Your practice may contact you direct or should provide an update on their website to let you know about the specific changes they may be making.
If you are experiencing any difficulties that you think may be as a result of these changes, it is important that you discuss these with your GP practice. If your concern cannot be addressed by the practice, you can raise it with our Customer Services team.
You can find out more about actions being taken locally on the Avon Local Medical Committee website.