GPS are set to be barred from rich areas and forced to work in poorer towns under new government plans.

       A former senior official put forward the scheme to improve the health in more deprived areas of England.

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       Doctors will be prevented from opening new surgeries in richer areas Credit: Getty

       According to a study carried out by the Social Market Foundation, poorer areas of the UK have almost half the number of doctors compared to richer places.

       And Prime Minister Boris Johnson is determined to narrow the gap using the new plan, after Health Secretary Sajid Javid promised to address the “disease of disparity”.

       Former Secretary to the Committee John Gooderham has now called for a return to a system from the 1990s - which saw GPs being refused applications for richer areas, reports The Times.

       He said: “Deprived areas are being worst affected by shortages of GPs.

       “That trend is increasing and is widening health inequalities.

       “Where GPs work should no longer be left entirely to market forces as has happened for the past 20 years.”

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       He added: “ A GP would realise they wouldn't be allowed to work in that over-doctored area and would decide to work somewhere that was under-doctored instead.”

       It comes as doctors were last month told to stop seeing new patients by the British Medical Association amid the continuing row over face-to-face appointments.

       The trade union accused Health Secretary Sajid Javid of creating a "bully's charter" as the Government strives to increase the number of consultations in surgeries.

       GPs have been urged to refuse cases referred to them by hospitals, patients passed on from flooded 111 call lines and to stop evening or weekend clinics.

       The BMA is preparing to vote on industrial action that would see doctors stop performing a number of services as they wage war on ministers NHS Plan for GP and Patients.

       If doctors vote in favour of the action, they could refuse to carry out parts of their contracts until ministers sit down with them to rewrite the plans.

       Tensions have reached fever pitch amid plans to publish league tables showing how many patients each surgery sees in person.

       They also object to moves to publish the names and incomes of doctors earning more than ￡150,000 a year.

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