A doctor could become the next leader of an’militant” medical union, considering taking industrial action against No10’s plans to increase face-to-face appointments.
Dr Farah Jameel is the Camden, London-based general practitioner who was shortlisted as one of two candidates for the post of British Medical Association (BMA), chair.
Last week, outgoing boss Dr Richard Vautrey declared he was stepping down after leading the revolt against government plans for GPs being forced to see more patients in-person.
He resigned on the exact same day as ballots were sent out to hospitals across England to ask if anyone would like to go to work.
Soon, rumours began to circulate suggesting that Dr Vautrey decided to quit the BMA after becoming embroiled in a conflict with other militant members of his committee as well as those from the larger BMA.
MailOnline has learned that one candidate for the position is already complaining about additional medical care being provided by family physicians.
In Dr Jameel’s first-person piece for publication GPOnline in 2018, the United Arab Emirates-born medic claimed offering non-core services ‘is another example of GPs’ goodwill being exploited and taken advantage of.’
An attached strap stated that a builder would not do an extra job for free or pay a lawyer for work. It shouldn’t be the same for GPs.
They were described by Dr Jamel in the article that was published in his journal as an essential part of their service.
Non-core services include inserting pessaries, phlebotomies and spirometries. They aren’t covered by the NHS so they don’t need to be offered.
However, critics argue that doctors should still offer these services and Dr Jamel was today accused of a ‘lax attitude.
Dr Farah Jameel is a GP in Camden (north London) and was today announced as one of two potential candidates to the British Medical Association GP Committee chair position. She is one of three current members of the executive team of this committee. In an article in 2018, she wrote that GPs should not be expected to carry out non-core work, such as ECG recordings, spirometry — a test to diagnose and monitor lung conditions — and post-operation stitch removal. This work by doctors without additional funding is unacceptable, she stated.
Dr Chandra Kanneganti, a Conservative councilor and Lord Mayor for Stoke-on-Trent, was revealed as the other candidate hoping to replace outgoing chair Dr Richard Vautrey, whou last week announced he would step down from the role later this month amid a row over patient access to face-to-face appointments
Later this month, Dr Richard Vautrey will resign as Chair of the BMA’s GP Committee.
In 2018, GPOnline conducted a survey and found 60% of providers provided non-funded services.
Dr Vautrey stated that these doctors offer their services because of “goodwill and their sense of professional responsibility,” for which there is no additional resource.
Jamel is one of the three BMA GP committee members. She wrote in her article that it was ‘completely unacceptable” for doctors to do this work with no funding.
She stated that general practice was under immense pressure and does not have to be funded.
“This is yet another example where doctors are telling us that the workload in general practices is too high and unsafe. It is yet more evidence of how GPs’ goodwill is being exploited.
If appointed Dr Jamel would become the first woman to chair the committee. She stated that doctors offering services for free meant they were “stretching their own to the point where they risk quality and safety of essential services they have been contracted to deliver”.
Jamel is in her late 30s and believes that not properly funding services will cause doctor morale to plummet as well as worsen recruitment and retention.
Elle added that it was not about restricting GP-related services.
“It’s about providing safe and quality care for patients at a time in which GPs are prevented from doing this by too many and unqualified work. This is taking away from their primary duty as doctors.
Dr Jameel is running up against Dr Chandra Kanneganti, Conservative councilor and Lord Mayor for Stoke-on-Trent, Pulse magazine reported.
There are no other GP candidates. On November 18, a vote will determine which candidate will be elected.
MailOnline was told by John O’Connell (chief executive, TaxPayers’ Alliance) that services should not be affected because certain GPs only will do what is necessary.
“The NHS’s determination to do everything to assist patients is the best thing about it. However, that has been threatened by BMA bean count.
“Taxpayers spend huge amounts on a complete health care system and expect to receive the essential services that they require.”
Morgan Schondelmeier, of the Adam Smith Institute thinktank, told MailOnline: ‘It’s concerning that a leading candidate for the BMA GP committee chair has such a lax attitude to patient care.
After 18 months with remote doctors, it is imperative that patients have access to face-to–face care.
“The solution is not to encourage doctors to refuse patients who are in need, but to completely reform the entire GP system.
‘We should pursue a new system which allows patients to decide which GP they see — including private GPs — enabling rapid and high quality treatment while reducing burden on the NHS.’
Silver Voices campaign leader Dennis Reed said that he is flooded with emails from Silver Voices members because many GPs’refuse treatment’ for patients suffering from eye infection or requiring ear syringing.
Instead, patients face paying up to £80 for these services, he said.
‘This has a real impact on older people who obviously can’t afford those sorts of that sort of money — it’s half a week’s state pension,’ he said.
According to Mr Reed, the trend towards GP services being reduced is ‘extremely troubling’. It shows that the contract between GPs (and the Government) is ‘no more fit for purpose.
Recent figures show that four out of ten GP visits were not still being conducted face-to-face as of September. Comparatively, nine out of ten GP appointments were made in person in the same timeframe two years ago.
Sajid Javid (Health Secretary) presented ambitious measures earlier in the month to encourage more doctors to visit patients. Doctors criticized his idea as unfair and unjust. The photo shows him above visiting London’s surgery last month
MailOnline reported that face-to-face appointments, out-of hours services, and home visits were rare in his opinion.
“It is very disturbing that doctors not only accept these changes but also desire to further reduce the peripheral services they see as being provided to patients.
“They just need to tighten up the contract. Otherwise, there won’t be any services at GP surgery.”
MailOnline received a statement from the BMA stating that it was published three and a half years prior to the outbreak of the Pandemic.
“When Covid struck, the general practice quickly restructured its operations to ensure patients could get the treatment they required. Although general practice is very different from what it was 20 months ago it’s under tremendous pressure. Practices are now delivering 2.77 million more appointments per month than they did before the pandemic.
“Meanwhile since 2015, the equivalent to 1,700 full-time, fully qualified GPs have been lost.”
“With the current workload at unmanageable levels and a falling staff morale, it is urgent to find a way to ensure safety and quality. It is essential that all work be properly authorized and adequately resourced.
“Inappropriate and underfunded workloads take GPs’ and staff’s attention from core patients’ needs and also wastes appointment time that could have been used for other patients who are sick and need to be seen by their GP.
Doctor Vautrey from Leeds said that doctors shouldn’t feel forced to return to a ten minute treadmill of face to face consultations before he announced his resignation. He also advised them to not accept new patients.
According to the latest figures, four-in-ten GP appointments in England were still being made face-toface this September.
Comparatively to this, nine of ten persons were alive in that same period in 2002, just before the pandemic.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid last month unveiled a £250million package of measures to get patients more face-to-face appointments, including a controversial proposal that would effectively ‘name and shame’ underperforming surgeries.
BMA conducted an indicative vote of GPs in England asking if they supported industrial action in four areas. Critics described it as’militant’.
This includes refusing to do certain tasks, and providing Covid jabs for those patients that are otherwise medically exempt.
On November 14, the ballot will close. This could allow for the first strike by doctors since 2005’s junior doctor strike.
Five years ago Dr Vautrey, who was chair of the BMA Committee, said that remote consultations wouldn’t work because doctors won’t pick up visual cues.
Patients, moderate doctors and MPs all called on the BMA for a concession with the ministers in order to save millions of patients.
Dr Vautrey’s was chair of the BMA’s GP committee for four years and was part of its executive committee since 2004.