FAMILY doctors warned they will lose their jobs as the government faced mounting pressure today to shield GP practices from “astronomical” rises in cost under a controversial tax rise.

The Royal College of GPs (RCGP) called for “urgent assurances” from Health Secretary Wes Streeting that practices will be exempted from the hike in National Insurance employer contributions like “the rest of the NHS and public sector.”

RCGP chairwoman Professor Kamila Hawthorne said: “We have very serious concerns about the impact of the increase in National Insurance employer contributions on GP practices right across the country, many of whom are already struggling to keep their doors open and make ends meet due to historic chronic underfunding.