Over 40 politicians from both Houses of Parliament have signed a letter to the Chancellor calling for proposed NI increases for GPs to be reversed.

The letter is signed by Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst, Conservative MP for Solihull West & Shirley, and is supported by 40 colleagues including South West Devon Conservative MP Rebecca Smith.

The letter expresses profound concern in respect of the decision to increase employer NIC and, in particular, seeks urgent reconsideration on the impact this policy will have on general practices, dentists, hospices and care homes.

The letter states: “It is our collective view that continuing along your proposed path risks undermining patient care.

“Whilst the Government has announced that the public sector will be exempt from the rise in NICs, such as exemption has not been extended to the aforementioned organisations who provide critical NHS services. For the Treasury to be giving to the NHS with on hand and, simultaneously, taking away with the other, defies logic.

“The cost implication of the Government’s decision will be substantial. It will have the consequential effect of reducing services, forcing redundancies, or even the closure of these essential services entirely.”

The letter quotes British Medical Association estimates that the increase in NICs will cost an extra £865 for every employee earning £30,000.

The politicians write: “For some GPs, this will result in tens of thousands of Pounds of additional costs, which could otherwise have been more appropriately used to employ clinical staff. To compound matters the Government has failed to set aside monies to compensate general practices, who are ineligible for Employment Allowance.

“Consequently, many will simply not be able to afford thee increases and will have to reduce their staffing and services accordingly, thereby impacting upon patient care.

We echo the call of Professor Hawthorne, the chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, who has sought “urgent assurances that GP practices will be given the same protection as the rest of the NHS and public sector and receive the necessary funding to cover these additional costs.”

“To govern is to choose. We respectfully request that you reverse the Government’s decision to increase employer NICs. At the very least, we urge you to extend the exemption for these reforms to include all those organisations who provider NHS services and support, including general practices, care homes hospices and dentists."

The MP's letter follows a letter sent by the DDA to Health Secretary Wes Streeting.

View the letter

• Media reports suggest that NIC compensation arrangements may be announced by the end of year. The DDA urges GPs to keep up the pressure on local politicians until the arrangements are announced.