Your contract, Your future
Earlier this year the BMA’s GP Committee was in negotiations with the NHS Confederation about a new contract for GPs.
The problem of unsustainable workload and a shortage of GPs has resulted in multiple changes in the way primary care services will be provided in the future.
Although the majority of GPs have agreed in principle to the objectives, these have yet to be priced. There will be a final vote in 2003.
If - and it's a big if - the Government keeps its promise by resourcing primary care adequately, in terms of increasing manpower and finances, then quality of care for patients should (could?) improve further.
This should happen in a number of ways:
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Resources will be fairly targeted to meet the needs of each practice population.
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New work will attract new resources.
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Primary Care Organisations will eventually become responsible for out-of-hours services.
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Demand management initiatives will be introduced to let doctors keep their workload within safe limits.
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Family-friendly career development options.
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GPs will be rewarded for high quality care.
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Bureaucracy will be reduced, freeing up more time for clinical work.
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Develop and train GPs with special clinical interests.
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Improvement of premises.
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Ensure equitable access to a full range of primary care services and secondary care services transferred to primary care (the latter being appropriately resourced).
Career structure is also covered:
- Provides an attractive salaried option for GPs
- Sustains a greater range of employment options allowing GPs to work more flexibly and in family friendly ways
- Allows GPs to follow a flexible career path
- Encourages more doctors to enter general practice
- Rewards wisdom and experience through seniority payments
- Facilitates the development of special clinical interests
Now click on the following link - this will take you to the BMA's executive summary. Take a look at some of the details, linked from the right hand side of the executive summary page. .
http://www.bma.org.uk/ap.nsf/Content/Your+contract+your+future
Well, that's the plan. Here's what we'll be discussing on Wednesday:
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Did you vote for or against it? Why?
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Ask your trainer or another GP in the practice whether s/he voted for or against it. Why?
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Is the new contract perfect? If not, how would you improve it?
Written by: Michael Harris
Last update: 29 August 2007