A pharmacist has issued a warning to all UK residents over the prospect of having to pay for NHS GP appointments into the near future.

Nadia Malik explained the British Medical Association (BMA) has announced plans to ballot GPs before June 2027 over 'Plan B' - an alternative to the current GP contract, which could allow them to carry out more private work and result in a means-tested subscription service in a similar format to dental care.

"It's a little bit controversial because although GPs are independent businesses, they have a contract with the government to carry out NHS services," Nadia said in a TikTok video. "So for patients, care should be free at point of access."

However, if voting in the ballot goes in favour of 'Plan B', this could all change. "Patients that see GPs the most are ones with chronic, long-term conditions and often multiple ones and it's those people that would be disproportionately affected by this," Nadia continued. "We know the NHS has already got massive health inequalities, and is this just going to make it worse?"

Nadia went on to claim this isn't something GPs have asked for, but instead it's a case of "restrictions" the government has "put on them, forcing them to look for an alternative".

The pharmacist also pointed out that GPs stated the current climate "isn't financially sustainable", particularly with an ageing population who require more care. "We don't have the workforce to deal with it, we have a shortage of staff and as the workload has increased, the funding hasn't increased to reflect that," she added.

Nadia reported the Department for Health and Social Care said they are "not happy about doctors going down this route", prompting the BMA to urge them to "engage" with them about their concerns over contracts.

"Maybe this is a scare-tactic, or maybe it is a genuine contingency plan," Nadia pondered. "I guess we will have to watch this space."

Earlier this week, the BMA GPs committee chair, Dr Katie Bramall said of the ballot: "The committee’s confidence in the future viability of their livelihoods, and of the profession itself within the NHS, is at an all-time low.

"Warnings have been repeatedly ignored by politicians that long-term under-investment in general practice, coupled with rising workloads, increasingly complex patient need, workforce attrition and contractual arrangements that leave practices vulnerable, will lead to GPs and practices being unable to deliver safe and sustainable care to their NHS patients."

Dr Bramall also told the BMA's website: "Under current contractual arrangements, GPs are prevented from meeting patient demand for some services. These obstacles limit our ability to deliver the care patients ask for or deserve, restricting clinical flexibility.

"This exploration of an alternative model is a consequence of long-term political and systemic failure to protect NHS general practice and has left the profession deeply frustrated, with no other choice but to explore alternatives. This didn’t happen overnight; it has been a slow and gradual deterioration of morale within the profession.

"The need for this ballot can be prevented, but the Government must urgently engage with the very real concerns GPs have around their core contract, as well as their wellbeing and livelihoods, or we risk losing NHS general practice entirely. The latest contract imposition and the Government’s demand for GPs to provide unlimited access is the final straw for many."

Writing in response, one TikTok user fumed: "As someone with complex and rare health conditions, unfortunately I need a bit of healthcare. It's difficult enough getting a GP appointment. There's no way I can afford to pay, I can't afford to go to the dentist never mind this."

A second added: "This is just going to lead to more people misusing A&E and making it more over worked when they can’t get to a GP or they can’t afford it so wait until it’s an emergency."

Meanwhile, a third person said: "I work in GP and I was horrified the BMA did this. This is exactly what successive governments have been hoping for: privatise the front door and the rest will fall. The BMA have failed at negotiating GP contracts (well, all contracts for that matter) for years and I suppose they want to position themselves to negotiate a private contract?"