GP practices in Wales are getting a 2.2% funding uplift from April, which the Welsh Government said translated to a 1% pay increase.
It said this broke down as £10.5m total funding for general practice, out of which £7m was for expenses and the remaining amount for pay.
This follows a 2.3% uplift announced for Scotland and a 3.2% increase for England, which have also both been calculated by respective governments to amount to a 1% pay rise for GPs. Northern Ireland has yet to announce a 2016/17 funding deal.
Although there were no other contract changes because Wales negotiated a two-year deal spanning 2015-2017, the GPC said they were still negotiating vaccination and immunisation fees and called for a ‘swift resolution’ of these discussions. GPC Wales also highlighted that costs related to paying a new living wage of £8.25/hour would not be covered by the uplift.
GPC Wales chair Dr Charlotte Jones said that in light of ‘years of real term cuts… coupled with the ever increasing workload and strain on the profession’ the 1% increase was ‘unlikely to make the workforce feel valued’.
Welsh minister for health and social care Professor Mark Drakeford said: ‘Our commitment to the NHS is unwavering and our staff are at the heart of the service.
’We will continue to work closely with them, with trades unions and professional bodies, to protect and invest in these vital services despite deep cuts to our overall budget from the UK Government.’
