Patients are encouraged to continue to go to their doctors despite industrial action that could affect services across the area.

People living in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire have been told that they can still go to their GP practice amid news that doctors who are members of the British Medical Association (BMA) are taking industrial action.

The BMA held a vote of members with 98 per cent favouring taking action over a 1.9 per cent funding increase for 2024/25.

The union representing doctors has argued that a greater amount of funding is needed so that GPs can deliver the level of service they want to provide.

The industrial action by GPs began across the country on Thursday, August 1.

Now, the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West (BOB) Integrated Care Board (ICB) is advising patients to continue to go to their GP doctor practice.

Dr Rachael de Caux, deputy chief executive and chief medical officer at the BOB ICB, said: “We are working hard with system health and care partners to reduce the consequences any action has on patient care.

“However, this will be an evolving picture across our system and we will monitor carefully as collective action unfolds to understand the areas of greatest pressure.

“However, any action is likely to cause disruption across the whole NHS locally. In addition, we need to be aware GP practices may change which actions they take, and these may vary over time.”

The BMA voted to take a range of different 'collective actions' which fall short of wholesale closures of practices.

The most serious action limits the daily patient contacts to a maximum of 25 people per doctor.

After that point, patients would be diverted to urgent care centres such as those in Reading, Bracknell, Slough, Aylesbury and Oxford.

Other potential actions include declining data sharing requirements and keeping online triage tools switched off during core practice opening hours.

Dr de Caux added: “It’s likely this action will be ongoing with no finish date until an agreement is reached between the government and the BMA.

“During this action patients should contact their practice as normal for support or advice or to attend an appointment unless they have been told otherwise.

“It is the responsibility of GP practices to inform patients of any changes to their services. In addition, patients can still use NHS 111 online or by phone, or visit a community pharmacy for health advice.

“Patients should only use 999 and A&E for serious or life-threatening emergencies.”

The ICB is an NHS organisation responsible for planning health services in the area, which covers Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Reading Borough, Wokingham Borough and West Berkshire.

The Frimley ICB covers Slough Borough, Bracknell Forest and the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.