'Resolution needed to GP dispute to ensure patients get the care they need' – Derry MLA
Derry Sinn Féin MLA Ciara Ferguson has urged the Health Minister to engage with GPs as doctors in the north confirmed they would take collective action from this week until its dispute with the Department of Health is resolved.
In a letter to the Editor this week, Dr Frances O’Hagan, Chair of the Northern Ireland General Practitioners' Association stated that the decision to take action “has not been made lightly”, adding that it was “crucial the public understand the reasons behind the action, primarily the need for increased funding for general practice”.
Foyle MLA Ciara Ferguson said: “GPs play a vital role in supporting the health and well-being of our community, and the ongoing dispute must be resolved. “I am calling on the Health Minister to urgently meet with GP representatives and work towards a swift resolution to the ongoing dispute. “GPs are under pressure, and that’s affecting patients’ ability to access appointments when they need them. It’s time to reach an agreement and ensure patients get the care and support they deserve.”
Dr O’Hagan meanwhile wrote: “The healthcare system in Northern Ireland has been under immense strain for years. GPs, who are the frontline providers of essential healthcare services, have been working under increasingly challenging conditions. Despite our commitment to patient care, the lack of adequate funding from the Department of Health has made it increasingly difficult to deliver the quality of care our patients deserve. Collective action has become necessary to protect GPs and their patients, and to try and secure the funding required to ensure a sustainable and effective healthcare system.
"The current funding levels for general practice are insufficient to meet the growing needs of our population. We asked the Department of Health for an additional £39 per year per patient, they gave us less than 50p per year, per patient.
"Without increased investment, we cannot recruit and retain the right number of GPs and support staff. This means there are longer waiting times for patients, which we know is frustrating, reduced access to appointments, and increased pressure on the existing practice workforce. Adequate funding is essential to enhance service delivery, improve patient outcomes, and maintain a high standard of care.
"As GPs our primary concern is always the well-being of our patients. Even during this period of collective action, we are doing everything in our power to minimise the impact of our action on direct patient care. Our goal is to bring about positive change with the least possible disruption to those who rely on our services.”
The support of the public, Dr O’Hagan said, was “crucial in our efforts to secure the necessary changes in the healthcare system”.
"We believe that by working together, we can advocate for a system that prioritises patient care and ensures that everyone has access to the quality healthcare they need and deserve. We ask the public to understand the reasons behind our actions, to support our call for increased funding, and to join us in advocating for a better healthcare future for Northern Ireland.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Health said: “The Department recognises that primary care system is under considerable, sustained pressure and GPs and their teams are working hard but are struggling to meet the demand from patients. “The financial challenges facing the Department of Health are well-known. In that context, the £9.5m in additional funding included in the 2025/26 GMS contract represented the best possible offer the Department could make for 2025/26. “It Is a matter of regret that the Department has not been able to reach agreement in relation to the 2025/26 GMS contract.
“It will be important that GPs continue to adhere to the terms of their contract while taking any action, that there is no negative impact on patient safety and that access to service is maintained. “As the Minister has stated, he remains open to discussion as to how best to secure the future of general practice so that it can remain a central part of primary care services now and in the future. The Department has invited the NIGPC to engage in formal negotiations to develop a new GMS contract for 2026/27, with the aim of help stabilise practices and enabling practices playing a leading role in the new neighbourhood model of care.”
Meanwhile the Royal College of General Practitioners in Northern Ireland has said it was ‘disappointing’ that negotiations have not reopened.
RCGPNI Chair Ursula Mason has responded to the unprecedented step of GPs taking collective action in Northern Ireland.
“The result of the NIGPC ballot shows the strength of feeling amongst GPs across Northern Ireland. It is clear the current contract is failing to provide GPs and their patients with the support that they need, and more resources are urgently required to tackle this.
“It is not for RCGPNI to get involved in contractual negotiations between the BMA's NIGPC and the Department of Health, nor to influence any decision making about collective action, but it is disappointing that negotiations did not reopen, and we have arrived at the unprecedented position where collective action from GPs will commence imminently.
“Absolutely no GP will want to restrict the services they provide for their patients - and it needs to be made clear that GPs and their teams will still be working extremely hard to care for our patients. There are many aspects of what GPs provide that go well beyond the contractual requirements they are under and what they receive funding for, and this additional workload and the goodwill of the GPs delivering it, have been taken for granted for too long.
“We have written to the Minister for Health today to press him to intervene and come to a resolution that is fit for purpose for patients and the GP teams working harder and harder to provide the quality care our patients deserve.”