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Negotiate Scottish GP contract changes into English contract, GPC told

GP leaders have called for the recent changes seen in the Scottish contract offer to be implemented into the English negotiations.

The motion, proposed by Cumbria GPs, said that the Scottish offer should be examinated to see how ’elements’ could be incorporated into the English contract, and was clearly passed at the UK LMC.

In January of this year, Scottish GPs voted for the biggest reform to the GP contract since 2004, with almost three quarters of the vote share.

Their new contract, due to start implementation this April, will see the introduction of a new funding formula, which would increase investment by £23 million. A minimum GP earning expectation, and the development of several services to support GPs in their practices without a loss of funding, were also outlined in the offer.

Cambridgeshire GP Diana Hunter, who spoke in favour of the motion, said: ‘Having listened to what Scotland are doing, it’s a no brainer. Make it real, put it in the contract’.

Last month, local GPs were told they would see ‘minimal changes’ to the 2018/19 GP contract, which are still under negotiation, at a presentation at a GPC roadshow event.

The motion in full:

11 CUMBRIA: That conference believes that there is much to be gained by examining

the Scottish Contract Offer and how elements of it could be incorporated into the

English contract negotiations.

 

11a CAMBRIDGESHIRE: That conference believes that continued unmanageable

workload and unacceptable risk is destroying both general practice itself, and the

careers of those working so hard within it, and calls upon the GPC to:

(i) accept that ‘Saving General Practice’ is merely a wish list that, without any

leverage behind it, is incapable of saving general practice

(ii) accept that, without contract negotiation, NHSE will continue to dictate

where it invests, and risks the GPC becoming irrelevant in delivering any

suitable, significant change for GPs

(iii) acknowledge that some areas of the UK are looking at contractual

changes as an effective resolution

(iv) negotiate contractual changes in all areas of the UK that will offer general

practice a safe and sustainable future.

 

11b LEEDS: That conference welcomes the proposals in Scotland to work towards

funded protected learning time for all GPs and calls on other UK governments to

do the same.

 

11c GLASGOW: That conference calls on GPC to ensure that GP training continues

to produce GPs who can work in all four nations despite the divergence of GP

contracts in these four nations.

Source: BMA