The BMA has entered into formal dispute with the government over new online consultation rules, amid warnings that the volume of requests being received by practices is unsustainable, unsafe, and reduces the availability of face-to-face appointments.The doctors’ union said it had been forced into the move after warning Health Secretary Wes Streeting that the new system, which allows patients to make unlimited online consultation requests, would threaten patient safety without additional workforce or safeguards.1As of 1 October all general practices in England are required to keep online consultation tools open from 8 am to 6.30 pm, Monday to Friday.2 The government says this will free up phone lines and “end the 8 am scramble” for appointments. But the BMA is warning that a barrage of urgent and non-urgent online consultation requests with no additional workforce to manage the predicted increase in activity could lead to potentially serious and life threatening…