Press release: New GMS contract will reward family doctors for higher quality services
21 Feb 2003
The NHS Confederation and the BMA's General Practitioners Committee (GPC) have today jointly published details of a new contract for family doctors across the UK. The new contract will reward GPs for higher quality care, improve GPs' working lives, and ensure patients benefit from a wider range of services in the community.
The new contract is the result of 18 months of negotiation between the GPC and the NHS Confederation, which has been taking a lead in developing the contract on behalf of the Departments of Health in the UK. It follows the publication of a framework document in April last year which received the endorsement of 75% of GPs who voted.
At the heart of the contract is a new quality framework, setting out standards of care based on the latest evidence. Family doctors will be rewarded according to the quality of care they provide - the first time any health system will systematically resource GPs on the basis of how well they care for patients rather than simply the number of patients they treat.
The proposed contract also marks a radical departure by funding practices rather than individual practitioners. Each practice will be given a 'global sum' to cover their staffing and running costs, based on a fairer allocation formula which reflects the needs of local patients, not GP numbers. A new categorisationof services will help GPs to manage their workload by enabling practices to transfer responsibility for providing some services, mainly to other practices or to their primary care organisation.
Mike Farrar, Chair of the NHS Confederation negotiating team, said:
"The proposed new contract represents a landmark in the development of UK general practice. We believe it will be good for GPs, and good for patients. GPs will benefit from greater and fairer rewards and improvements to their working lives. And patients will see the benefits in higher quality and a wider range of primary care services."
"The new contract will be accompanied by an unprecedented increase in investment, with primary care expenditure across the UK rising by 33% over the next three years. In investment terms, this deal allows for faster and more substantial growth in primary care than any other area of the NHS."
Gill Morgan, Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation said: "The deal we have agreed represents a major achievement for the NHS Confederation and BMA. I believe that GPs have now got an opportunity to vote for a major programme of investment and improvement in primary care delivered through a modern, fair and principled contract. I hope that the benefits will be recognised by the profession and that they seize this opportunity to work with primary care organisations to revitalise general practice and transform services for patients."
In summary, the contract proposes:
- greater and fairer remuneration for GPs, accompanied by investment in GP premises and IT
- a quality framework to improve care for patients, with two thirds of the increased investment for practices linked to a new system of quality payments
- measures to help GPs to manage their workload, including allowing GPs to transfer responsibility for out of hours care to their primary care organisation
- a recruitment and retention package to tackle GP shortages, including a new career structure and an enhanced seniority scheme
- a guarantee that all patients will receive the full range of existing services, alongside greater choice for some services and faster access
- the development of a wider range of primary care services, with additional money for practices to have the needs of their patients met within community and primary care settings rather than hospital.
The contract will be published early next week, and GPs will vote on it in a ballot in April. If GPs vote yes to the proposals, phased implementation of the contract will begin in April this year.
Ends
Notes for editors
1. The NHS Confederation represents the organisations that make up the NHS. Our members include the majority of NHS trusts, primary care trusts and health authorities in England; trusts, health authorities and local health groups in Wales; trusts and NHS boards in Scotland; and health and social services trusts and boards in Northern Ireland.
2. Copies of the contract will be available at /gmscontract/
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