The British Medical Association (BMA), the trade union for doctors, and the Government agreed the deal at a meeting on Thursday.
GPs in England have accepted new contract amendments aimed at ending the '8am scramble' for appointments and restoring the family doctor model. The changes include online appointment booking starting in October, removing administrative burdens to allow GPs to focus on patient care. Targets related to staff wellbeing and IT access reviews have been scrapped, and GPs will be incentivized to maintain regular doctor-patient relationships. The government has allocated an additional £889 million for GPs, marking the first agreement in four years and signaling improved relations between the government and GP representatives. Key figures, including Wes Streeting and Dr. Amanda Doyle, expressed support for the reforms, though there is cautious optimism about future meaningful investments and reforms.
