Militant BMA tells GPs to deny care to prostate cancer and heart patients until NHS caves into their funding demands

The British Medical Association has told GPs to deny care to some prostate cancer and heart patients until the NHS caves into their demands for more funding.

Charities have called for urgent action to make sure ‘no patient is left confused, delayed or caught in the middle’ as they accused the doctors’ union of putting men at risk of harm to fill its members’ pockets.

The BMA has been urging family doctors to take part in various forms of collective action in protest at the 2026/27 GP contract.

As part of the next round, it wants surgeries to reject new requests from hospitals to hand over prescribing and monitoring responsibilities for a patient, unless there is already an arrangement in place to do so.

The BMA said examples of this can include prescribing specialist drugs for the immune system, heart and lungs, or to treat ongoing prostate cancer or osteoporosis.

But it claims these arrangements can sometimes be ‘underfunded’ and ‘unsafe’ – and says arrangements should be in place to cover the cost and workload.

David James, director of patient projects and influencing at the charity Prostate Cancer Research, said: ‘Men with prostate cancer must not be put at risk because of disputes over NHS funding or responsibilities.

‘We recognise the huge pressure GPs are under, and shared care arrangements must be safe, properly funded and clinically appropriate.

David James (pictured), director of patient projects and influencing at the charity Prostate Cancer Research.

‘But patients undergoing treatment for prostate cancer need certainty that their prescribing, monitoring and follow-up will not be disrupted.

‘The Government, NHS England, commissioners and the BMA need to work together urgently to resolve this and make sure no patient is left confused, delayed or caught in the middle.’

Dr Katie Bramall, chairwoman of the BMA’s general practitioners committee for England, said: ‘This next phase of collective action is about GPs rejecting the transfer of additional work from hospitals to practices – beyond their existing contractual arrangements with the NHS – that is too often unsafe and unfunded.

‘For the sake of safe patient care, and keeping local GP surgeries open and viable, practices will therefore refuse any new requests for shared care, if these are inappropriately resourced.’

It comes after the Government set out its ambitions to move care closer to home as part of its flagship 10-year health plan for England.

One of the main pillars of the plan is moving care form hospital to the community.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: ‘GPs play a pivotal role in the NHS, and we remain committed to working with the BMA to resolve outstanding issues and avoid escalation.

‘We expect all providers of NHS care to act in the best interests of patients, make responsible use of public funds, and work in line with established clinical guidance and local prescribing arrangements.

‘We don’t anticipate a significant impact on patient services, and patients should continue to contact their GP as usual.’