DISASTER RECOVERY PLAN

This week, NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board asked the county’s GP practices how their ‘Disaster Recovery Plans’ would manage the junior doctors’ strike from Monday 13 to Wednesday 15 March.

25% of the doctors in primary care (general practice) are training to be GP specialists. Without them general practice would be broken. In the past 15 years they – like many of you – have seen their pay vastly reduce in real terms. Recent data reveals that 21% of GPs aged under 30 quit last year. 11% aged 30-35 left in the same period. The number of full-time fully qualified GPs in Lincolnshire has fallen by 8% since 2016 whilst our population has increased. These figures do describe a disaster.

People of all ages joining the caring professions are passionate and dedicated. Junior doctors will have been deeply concerned when negotiations between the Government and the British Medical Association broke down. A decision to take industrial action (IA) is not taken at all lightly. Yet 75% of junior doctors voted on in a ballot on IA. A staggering 98% of those voted to strike. We know this will disadvantage patients in the short-term, but they believe this is currently the only way in which they can get the Government to sit down and have proper talks with them again.

Spilsby Surgery supports our doctors in training. This is our Disaster Recovery Plan:

• Between Monday 13 and Wednesday 15 March, Spilsby Surgery will have three fewer doctors in work. Some patients may be redirected to hospital Urgent Care Centres (who employ no doctors in training).
• We can’t work any harder than we already are without risking patient safety and our team’s wellbeing.
• We will not undermine these exceptional young doctors who we hope will care for you, your families, and for us for years to come.
• Please consider contacting your Member of Parliament victoria@victoriaatkins.org.uk or matt.warman.mp@parliament.uk to express your support for your doctors, for nurses, paramedics, and other health and care professionals, and request that Health & Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay address their concerns and fears, and to publish a safe workforce plan for the NHS in England.

General Practice in England is in crisis. Your safety is at risk. Please support us to make sure that General Practice is there for you when you and your family need it. Thank you.

March 2023