Press release: NHS Confederation welcomes GP contract yes vote
20 Jun 2003
The NHS Confederation today welcomed the decision by UK family doctors to accept the new General Medical Services contract. 79.4% of GPs that voted have said 'yes' to the new contract.
Mike Farrar, Chair of the NHS Confederation GMS contract negotiating team said: "I am delighted that GPs have voted to accept the new contract. It is a win-win deal for GPs and patients alike. It will reward GPs for higher quality care, improve their working lives and ensure that patients benefit from a wider range of services closer to home. The unprecedented £1.9 billion of investment that the contract will bring represents a huge step forward for primary care in the UK."
Benefits of the contract for GPs and patients include:
- The change to a practice based contract which will give GPs and practice staff new freedoms to decide how to organise their services to meet patient needs.
- GPs will benefit from a better work/life balance, with practices able to transfer responsibility for providing some services - including out of hours care - to their Primary Care Organisation.
- The new allocation formula will mean that practice income will no longer be based on the number of individual practitioners, but will increasingly reflect the particular health needs of each practice's local community. The Minimum Practice Income Guarantee means that no practice will lose out as a result of this change.
- The new quality and outcomes framework will systematically resource GPs on the basis of how well care is provided for patients rather than simply the number of patients treated. Significant earning opportunities will also be available to reward practices delivering a wider range of services.
- Practice infrastructure will be modernised with a major investment in IM&T and premises.
- There will be a new package of measures to improve GPs' working lives, including a new career structure, protected time for skills development and improved pension arrangements which will in time reward all GPs.
Gill Morgan, Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation said: "This represents a major achievement for the BMA and the NHS Confederation. Both sides have worked hard to produce a contract that will revitalise general practice and transform services for patients. With a 'yes' vote of almost 80%, there is no doubt that GPs across the UK have recognised the benefits of the contract and we look forward to implementation from April 2004."
Ends
Notes for editors
- 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 and local health boards in Wales; trusts and NHS boards in Scotland; and health and social services trusts and boards in Northern Ireland.
- 79.4% of GPs who voted in the ballot, voted in favour of the new GMS contract. 70% of all GPs across the UK cast their vote.
- An ISDN line is available for radio interviews (020 7959 7283). To arrange an ISDN interview please contact Amy Pott at the Press Office on 020 7959 7239.
Contact details
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