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13/10/2003
Scottish BMA warns against GP contract delay
The British Medical Association (BMA) has warned of the "potentially devastating repercussions" for general practice in Scotland if there is a delay in implementing legislation for new GP contracts.
The BMA have detailed their concerns in a letter to Christine Grahame, the convenor of the Scottish Parliament's Health and Community Care Committee.
The association welcomed the Committee's support of the general principles of the contract legislation and its acknowledgement of the importance of implementing a new GP contract in Scotland, but warned that failure to pass the necessary legislation to implement the ontract on April 1 2004 would be "detrimental" to patient care in Scotland.
Dr David Love, joint chairman of the Scottish General Practitioners Committee, said: "The new contract is likely to be implemented in England and Wales on April 1 2004, regardless of progress in Scotland. GPs across the UK voted in favour of this contract and if we do not offer this contract at the same time we risk deterring young doctors from entering General Practice in Scotland, precipitating a large number of GPs currently contemplating retirement to resign, and losing family doctors to primary care South of the Border.
"The new contract will undoubtedly benefit patients by giving resources for practices to improve quality of service, which will lead to better health outcomes. It also contains a patient services guarantee, which will ensure patients continued access to the range of services they currently enjoy."
The BMA warned that "unprecedented" levels of investment into General Practice could be diverted elsewhere if legislation is delayed, and that GP morale, currently at an all time low, would worsen and the recruitment and retention crisis will deepen.
(GB)
The BMA have detailed their concerns in a letter to Christine Grahame, the convenor of the Scottish Parliament's Health and Community Care Committee.
The association welcomed the Committee's support of the general principles of the contract legislation and its acknowledgement of the importance of implementing a new GP contract in Scotland, but warned that failure to pass the necessary legislation to implement the ontract on April 1 2004 would be "detrimental" to patient care in Scotland.
Dr David Love, joint chairman of the Scottish General Practitioners Committee, said: "The new contract is likely to be implemented in England and Wales on April 1 2004, regardless of progress in Scotland. GPs across the UK voted in favour of this contract and if we do not offer this contract at the same time we risk deterring young doctors from entering General Practice in Scotland, precipitating a large number of GPs currently contemplating retirement to resign, and losing family doctors to primary care South of the Border.
"The new contract will undoubtedly benefit patients by giving resources for practices to improve quality of service, which will lead to better health outcomes. It also contains a patient services guarantee, which will ensure patients continued access to the range of services they currently enjoy."
The BMA warned that "unprecedented" levels of investment into General Practice could be diverted elsewhere if legislation is delayed, and that GP morale, currently at an all time low, would worsen and the recruitment and retention crisis will deepen.
(GB)
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