Press release - GP chairman supports Minister's letter to GPs
6 June 2003
Dr John Chisholm, chairman of the BMA’s General Practitioners Committee, welcomed the decision by Health Minister John Hutton to write to all PMS GPs in England about the effects of the proposed new GMS contract.
“John Hutton’s letter spells out that PMS GPs will benefit from the new GMS contract” said Dr Chisholm, adding: “ They will receive increased resources, increased investment in quality, the ability to opt out of out of hours at the nationally agreed price, improved seniority pay and pensions, increased investment in IT and increased resources and flexibilities for premises. The Minister’s letter makes it plain that all these benefits are contingent on a 'yes' vote in the ballot on the new GMS contract.
“GMS GPs who read the letter via websites and the media will see it clearly states that 'if the new GMS contract is not accepted by the profession the Government does not envisage there would be an automatic national entitlement or national price to opt out of out-of-hours in future.' It states that the seniority payments enhancements and pensions benefits are contingent on a 'yes' vote.”
The letter also gives PMS GPs reassurances - that PMS will be 'put on a "mainstream" statutory basis' and that there will be fair arrangements for returning to GMS, analogous to the MPIG, which will be determined after a 'yes' vote.
Dr Chisholm said: “I believe that family doctors who read this letter will decide to vote ‘yes’ in the current ballot on the new GMS contract.”
Ends
The full text of the letter is available on the BMA website