Changes to the GP contract, due to come into effect next month, are intended to ‘free up' the surgery phone lines to ‘end the 8am scramble' enabling patients to make online consultation requests for non-urgent problems and queries, from 8am in the morning to 6.30pm in the evening, Monday to Friday.

However, the BMA says online systems cannot distinguish between non-urgent and urgent patient queries.

The BMA's GP Committee believes allowing unlimited online requests without safety measures built in opens the floodgates to an already stretched GP workforce without increasing any practice capacity.

In the first instance, GPC England will consider if any action could be taken to challenge the lawfulness of the Government's position on necessary safety measures.

Dr Katie Bramall, committee chair, said: ‘We know that the public's number one NHS priority is general practice, so it's disappointing to see the Government being prepared to risk patient safety, practice workforce wellbeing and GP retention, when solving this would not cost a single penny.

‘GPs have a track record of being the first to embrace and embed technology in the NHS so long as it's safe and fit for purpose, but imposing such changes on general practice, ignoring our repeated warnings will do the opposite of ‘bringing back the family doctor'.

‘But all is not lost – we still have time in the coming days for Government to meet us halfway. We will explore all options, but I'm sure our patients and the profession would rather we find a resolution in the coming days. We want to work with the Government in delivering an NHS that we know is safe.'