The survey of more than 1,300 practices, published by the BMA, shows that the majority of practices (73%) had to change their ways of working due to the contract change.

It reveals 42% of practices have had to reduce face-to-face appointments, 45% of these practices said they've had to redeploy staff to accommodate for the changes, and more than half (55%) of these practices had seen a negative effect on patient care.

Despite GPs warning of the risk of patient harm, 74% of these practices said they'd seen an increase in workload, 68% reported an increase in stress, and 54% said there was an increase in working hours.

BMA GP committee chair Dr Katie Bramall said: ‘There is still ample opportunity for Wes Streeting to engage with us and help rebuild general practice, which would transform the NHS experience for the 1.5 million patients who use it every day. The public want more GPs delivering more appointments to fix the NHS.

‘We will continue to comply with the changes brought in on 1 October 2025 under protest, whilst exploring all options on how best to deliver transformative and safe change for general practice in England. Any action we take will be measured, informed, and undertaken only to defend GP partnerships and the safe, GP-led community-based care patients and their families rely upon.'