Practices will have received from Amanda Doyle a letter (attached) setting out the key elements of the GP Contract which it is stated will be the final GP contract framework for 24/25.
It has not been agreed with the GPC which represents GPs nor has any meaningful negotiation with GP reps taken place. This is the third year in which contractual changes are being arbitrarily imposed upon the profession.
The overall financial uplift of this package is woefully inadequate, and it seriously threatens the continued viability of a significant number of Practices.
That this is recognised by ministers and officials in the NHS is shown in recent commentaries on these proposals.
The Health Service Journal carried an article (23 February) on the financial implications of the 24/25 Contract which contained an interview with Ruth Rankine Director of Primary Care NHS Confederation. For those who do not have access to the HSJ the statement by Ruth Rankine has been extracted and is attached
The response by Dr Katie Bramhall- Stainer, Chairman of GPC is here.
https://www.bma.org.uk/bma-media-centre/responding-to-the-new-gp-contract-for-202425
In March GPs will be asked to give their views and on the acceptability of this package in a referendum and will be canvassed on the action which they could take to protest the imposition of this deliberate underfunding and secure an acceptable financial deal.
To keep Wigan GPs quickly up to date with developments and feed to them essential communications on this issue we shall in the next few days create a Wigan GPs Contract 24 What’s App group.
This will be set up for the duration of the coming dispute. Whilst the main object of the group is to distribute news on important developments quickly it can also provide a means of sharing views and ideas on them. Contributions to the group will not be divulged to any external body.