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The British Medical Association (BMA) has said its members will hold a ballot to decide whether to follow up with the Government on issues discussed during this month’s Local Medical Committee conference, including reallocating Pharmacy First funding to general practice and scrapping the one-mile rule.

Although a motion to abolish the rule, which if removed would allow dispensing doctors to dispense medicines within a mile of the nearest pharmacy, was carried unanimously at the conference, the BMA told Independent Community Pharmacist it will “determine what affected members wish to do”. 

“This is done through balloting in order to secure a mandate to direct any subsequent action,” the BMA said, insisting it and its general practitioners England committee (GPCE) will “reflect on the discussion and continue to engage closely with the profession to determine the best path forward”. It is unclear when a ballot would be held. 

It is understood LMC representatives also voted overwhelmingly to pass a motion calling for Pharmacy First funding to be reallocated to general practice. In the last few days, the BMA has overseen resident doctors’ strike action in England over pay and a lack of training positions.

“GPs are united in their commitment to delivering safe, high-quality care for patients, but many continue to work under considerable pressure and with limited resources,” the BMA said.

Non-compliance with GP Connect

A motion from Avon LMC calling for a ballot on "non-compliance with GP Connect", which allows pharmacists to update patients’ records, was also carried at the conference. The BMA said a motion was held on what collective and industrial action “could look like”, including non-compliance with GP Connect Update Record.

The BMA told ICP it has reminded practices to fulfil their contractual obligation to ensure the system is turned on but urged them to contact their integrated care board about concerns they have “over the safety and appropriateness of incoming data”.

“If turned off, after having been on, pharmacies will be made aware at the point they try to send a consultation and they will have to e-mail a copy of the consultation rather than using GP Connect: Update Record,” the BMA said.

GPCE chair Dr Katie Bramall said it and the BMA “are exploring options to protect the future of general practice, including the resolutions from the England conference of LMCs this month”.

“The BMA is committed to ensuring that any action chosen by members is measured, informed and undertaken only to defend GP partnerships and the safe, GP-led community-based care patients and their families rely on,” she said.

NPA: Most healthcare professionals want to pull together rather than push apart

When asked if the motions passed at the LMC conference showed GPs were reluctant to work with pharmacists and if so, whether that jeopardised Labour’s 10-year NHS plan, National Pharmacy Association chief executive Henry Gregg said “most healthcare professionals want to pull together rather than push apart”.

“It’s important that GPs and community pharmacists work closely together, for their own sake and in the interests of patients,” he told ICP.

“GP practices that have embraced Pharmacy First have reaped many benefits both in terms of efficiency for them and patient access to care. The 10-year health plan for England calls on GPs and pharmacies to work together in developing and delivering first class primary care.”