DOCTORS called on the government to prevent the collapse of GP practices yesterday by boosting funding allocated to patients.

GPs currently get just 31p per patient per day to cover essential patient care.

The BMA union’s general practitioners committee in England (GPCE) is asking this to be boosted by 11p.

In August, GPs voted in favour of collection action over limited funding increases in the GP services contract.

The GPCE says to end the dispute investment is needed to stop the collapse of GP practices and the government must commit to implementing a new GP contract within this parliament.

Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer, chair of GPCE at the BMA, said: “An extra 11p per patient, per day — that’s £40 a year for each patient — to secure more GPs, more practice nurses and more appointments would help stabilise our profession and prevent the loss of any more vital local GP surgeries. 

“Doing this would be a significant first step towards us being able to call off collective action.”