The British Medical Association (BMA) has written to the Department of Health (DH) seeking assurance that the provision of support for GPs and NHS staff suffering from stress and burnout will continue, amid reports that occupational health services are about to be cut.

NHS England has confirmed that GP practices will have to fund such services for the staff they employ, rather than it being centrally funded, from April this year. However, NHS England will fund an occupational health assessment for GPs experiencing burnout without performance concerns being raised.

In the letter, the BMA says it has received reports of inconsistent access to occupational health services in England and adds that it believes that the stress caused by rising workloads and work intensity that many NHS staff are presently under is adding to the need for appropriate specialist-led occupational health services.

The letter goes on to say that, in spite of the many initiatives to guarantee occupational health services for all NHS staff and at a time when doctors face increased stress, it is unacceptable that GP occupational health services are in jeopardy as the DH and NHS England reviews funding.

When NHS England undertook a review of occupation health services across primary care last year it found differing provision across the country, so has agreed to fund assessments to ensure that GPs on the National Performers List are fit and well to carry out their responsibilities and will also fund assessments for doctors as part of an early intervention process for stress.

However, NHS England has said it would not fund occupational health services for other NHS staff in primary care, even though it acknowledges that the incidence of health problems affecting health professionals appears to be increasing. This is because it says it needs to prioritise support and taxpayers’ money on the responsibilities that fall to NHS England with its regulatory function.