Plans to de-register patients who have not visited their GP in five years have been slammed by a trade union saying they could have a “detrimental” impact on patient care and safety.

Dr Richard Vautrey, GP committee deputy chairman at the British Medical Association, said every person across the UK has a “fundamental right” to be registered with a GP in their area and patients shouldn’t be punished “simply for being too well and not needing to see a GP”.

This comes after plans were revealed to axe patients who had not been to see their GP in five years and did not respond to two letters sent under the initiative led by private company Capita, employed by the NHS.

If they cannot be contacted to say they would like to continue to be registered with their doctor, they will be removed from the practice list.

Dr Vautrey said the biggest impact could be on some vulnerable patients who may not understand the importance of responding to letters from NHS bosses.

He said: “Media reports about NHS England’s plans to use a private company to remove patients who have not used their local GP practice in the last five years if they don't reply to two letters is yet another example of how the government’s drive to save money could have a detrimental impact on patient care and safety.

“None of us know when we will become ill and need to see a GP urgently. We all therefore need to have the certainty of being registered with a local practice.

“Worryingly, the biggest impact could be on the most vulnerable patient, who may not understand the importance of responding to letters from NHS managers.

“Practices themselves have had serious problems with the management of back-office services since NHS England gave the task to a private company.

GPs fear patients could be the next to suffer.

“We are currently facing an unprecedented crisis in general practice with rising levels of workload, a fall in resources and greater staff shortages.

“Surely it is clear that the solution lies not in the continual chipping away of our core services but in greater investment.”

Chiltern Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) spokesman Neil Phillips said there was currently "no suggestion" the initiative would be rolled out in Bucks in the near future.

NHS England spokesman Rose Obianwu said if patients do not respond after two letters, a “flag” is set on the GP practice system next to the patient's details.

The practice can then review the list of flagged patients, and if they believe the patient is active, have six months to get in touch with them to confirm whether they still want to be registered, and remove the flag if appropriate.

At the end of six months, if the flag is still present and the surgery has not been able to get hold of the patient, they would be removed from the list.

They would however be re-registered if they still required a GP service and got in touch with their surgery after being de-registered.

Ms Obianwu said: “The National Audit Office and House of Commons Public Accounts Committee have all drawn attention to the need to ensure accurate patient lists, and for proper stewardship of public funds.

“We doubt that contractual change would be needed but, should it be, we will cross that bridge when we come to it.”

Speaking about the need to employ a private company to handle back-office administration, she said: “Cutting administrative back-office costs by 40 per cent has freed up tens of millions of pounds for reinvestment in frontline NHS care.

“But Capita swiftly needs to deal with these transition issues so that practice managers are properly supported.

“We will be holding Capita to account for doing exactly that.”

NHS England has employed Capita to deliver “primary care support services” for the next seven years.