BMA warns against further budget cuts

As reported by the BMA, the association chair writes urgent letter to prime minster asking him to act

The BMA has written to Rishi Sunak warning that his government must urgently act to address workforce shortages, pensions and workload pressures ‘before it is too late’.

In a letter to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, association council chair Philip Banfield outlined in no uncertain terms the vast scale of challenges threatening the stability of both the NHS and the medical profession.

In his 31 October correspondence with Mr Sunak, Professor Banfield warned that punitive pensions taxation and real terms pay cut for doctors coupled with ever rising workloads were exacerbating the NHS’ staffing crisis.

While insisting that the BMA was eager to work with ministers to find solutions to these challenges, Prof Banfield further warned that any proposals to implement future cuts to the health service’s budget would only make matters worse.

With junior doctors set to be balloted over potential industrial action next year, Prof Banfield said that he hoped returning secretary of state for health Steve Barclay would seek to “fully engage” with the BMA’s JDC over their calls for pay restoration to 2008/09 levels.

He also warned that tackling the ongoing pensions crisis was critical if the haemorrhaging of experienced, senior doctors from the NHS was to stop and the pressures on understaffing begin to be addressed.

In his letter, Prof Banfield called for the government to take action to get primary care on to a ‘sustainable footing’, citing the huge numbers of GPs being lost due to retirement and burnout.

He said: ‘We have over 1,800 fewer GPs carrying out record numbers of appointments at an unsustainable frequency. GPs are under incredible pressure and are burnt out.

‘We must do all we can to retain every one of our doctors and our General Practitioners Committee are eager to work with government on the solutions which will get primary care on to a sustainable footing.’