Proposals for charging

Motions submitted to the BMA Local Medical Committees UK Conference 2014

27 To be proposed by WILTSHIRE That conference:

  • (i) believes that general practice is unsustainable in its current format
  • (ii) believes that it is no longer viable for general practice to provide all patients with all NHS services free at the point of delivery
  • (iii) urges the UK governments to define the services that can and cannot be accessed in the NHS
  • (iv) calls on GPC to consider alternative funding mechanisms for general practice
  • (v) calls on GPC to explore national charging for general practice services with the UK governments.

27a WILTSHIRE That conference believes the time is right for a fee for service for general practice.

27b AVON That conference calls on GPC to explore with the Department of Health the alternatives to a completely free at the point of access system.

27c GLOUCESTERSHIRE That conference believes the time has come to impose a national charge for consultations as part of a strategy of demand management.

27d KINGSTON AND RICHMOND That conference believes that alternative funding mechanisms for general practice must be explored in order to preserve universal general practice.

27e GLOUCESTERSHIRE That conference requires the GPC to consider a fundamental change to the contract, such as an alternative system of funding, as for instance that used in Guernsey.

27f MID MERSEY That conference believes as with dentistry and ophthalmology services, it is no longer viable for general practice to provide all NHS services free at the point of delivery for all patients.

27g NORTHERN IRELAND CONFERENCE OF LMCs That conference believes that in the light of the ongoing financial constraint facing the health service, along with the increasing demand for services, that the subject of what the NHS can afford and be reasonably expenses should be revisited, along with the subject of co-payments.

27h DEVON That conference believes the only meaningful way to engage patients in the issue of spiralling drug costs, is to explore some form of co-payment for medications provided by the NHS.

27i CORNWALL AND ISLES OF SCILLY That conference believes patients should be charged for repeated appointment DNAs and the inappropriate use of GP and A&E services.

27j DERBYSHIRE That conference:

  • (i) believes that the principle of an NHS that is universal, comprehensive, free at the point of access and funded from general taxation is no longer sustainable in the current political and economic environment
  • (ii) urges the UK governments to design and implement systems of co-payments for all NHS services as a matter of urgency
  • (iii) urges the UK governments to limit the demands upon the NHS by defining, nation by nation, those types of service that can and cannot be accessed on the NHS.

27k LANCASHIRE COASTAL That conference believes that, due to increasing demands and reductions in funding, general practice in its current format is unsustainable.