The emergence of the COVID-19 Omicron variant, in combination with broader winter pressures, has the potential to significantly impact the delivery of general practice and wider NHS services. 

The new guidance published today has been developed for clinicians working in general practice in England by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and the British Medical Associations (BMA) GP’s Committee with NHS England and Improvement's support, but this advice is from the RCGP and BMA. It is intended to support practices in their planning as general practice pivots to deliver the accelerated COVID-19 booster campaign.  

This version of the document replaces prior guidance on workload prioritisation developed by the RCGP and BMA during COVID-19 and is intended to reflect the current situation at the time of publishing, which is changing rapidly. It will be reviewed on a regular basis as the situation develops, but it is intended as short-term guidance for practices in their planning whilst delivering the accelerated booster vaccination campaign.

It is not intended as a substitute for expert clinical judgement, nor does it take into account individual or local circumstances.