13.11.17
New GP contract could give Scottish GPs different terms to the rest of the UK
The BMA is launching a Scotland-only GP contract today which could see Scottish GPs work under “substantially different” terms to those in the rest of the UK.
The contract is aimed at making general practice sustainable for the future by tackling workload pressures and improving recruitment and retention.
It is the result of negotiations between the Scottish Government and the BMA Scottish GP’s committee (SPGC) about aligning terms and conditions with modern policies.
Specifically, the contract provides for an expanded multidisciplinary team to work with GP practices to provide direct access to services for patients, allowing GPs to concentrate on being expert medical generalists. It also allows practices to transfer some additional services, such as responsibility for delivering vaccines, to health boards without losing funding.
Under the new terms every practice would have its income protected and a change to the funding formula would provide more support for practices with a higher workload.
SGPC chair Alan McDevitt said the aim of the negotiations was to provide the “significant changes” required to address increasing workload pressures.
He continued: “Practices have been struggling to recruit to vacant positions and we have started to see this impact on patient care, with some practices closing their patient lists, handing back responsibility to the health board or in extreme cases having to close altogether.
“This contract offers solutions to the pressures faced by general practice. By expanding the primary care team and working with integration authorities to improve patient access to services delivered by other professionals, such as, practice nurses, pharmacists and physiotherapists, GPs can have more time to concentrate on being GPs.”
The Scottish Government offered talks on a new Scotland-only contract after the UK government threatened to impose a new contract on practices against the will of GPs.
Until this point, practices worked under a UK contract, although there were some practical differences in implementation. However, since discussions started on a new contract in Scotland there have already been marked divergences.
GPs in Scotland will have the opportunity to have their say on the proposals in a poll that opens on 7 December.
There will also be a special meeting of the Scottish local medical committee’s conference on 1 December in Clydebank.
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