The four bodies representing community pharmacy, general practice, dentistry and optometry in Northern Ireland have written to health minister Mike Nesbitt to warn him primary care will “collapse” if Labour does not provide “adequate protection” from its planned increase in national insurance.

Community Pharmacy Northern Ireland, British Medical Association Northern Ireland, British Dental Association and Optometry Northern Ireland urged Nesbitt to persuade the Government to safeguard the country’s four sectors against the measure.

Under Labour’s plans in its budget, employers' national insurance contributions will rise from 13.8 per cent to 15 per cent in April next year.

In a joint statement, the four bodies said there was “an urgent imperative for the Northern Ireland executive to make the case” to the UK Government to protect the professions against the impact of its budgetary measures.

“Medical, pharmacy, dental and optometry providers are the front door to the health service for families across Northern Ireland and vital for the transformation of care,” they said.

“Yet these services are under extreme financial pressure, resulting in the closure of general practices and community pharmacies, the most rapid shrinkage of NHS dentistry anywhere in the UK and reduced access to NHS optometry.”

The bodies added: “Without adequate protection from UK Government policy changes, the precarious position of family practitioner services in Northern Ireland will deteriorate further.”