BMA reaches agreement on GP contract in Wales

Abstract

The BMA’s General Practitioners Committee for Wales has negotiated a settlement with the Welsh government on the general practitioners contract for 2013-14, after securing a key agreement on the minimum practice income guarantee. Earlier this month the committee rejected the proposed general medical services (GMS) contract because of concerns about the effect of removing the guarantee,1 which is received by more than 60% of practices in Wales. The committee was worried that the plan to remove this source of income over a period of seven years could “fatally destabilise” some rural practices, in particular small surgeries and practices with more than one location. The Welsh government has agreed not to take steps to remove the guarantee from April 2014 and will …