GPs' contract
Thursday, 28 Feb 2008 09:21
GPs are now working seven hours less per week as a result of the contract
The new contract for GPs has cost £1.76 billion more than planned and has failed to increase productivity, the National Audit Office (NAO) claims.
Its report into the contract says that productivity has dropped by an average of 2.5 per cent per year in its first two years.
While the number of consultations with patients has increased, the NAO says these are not in proportion with the increase in costs.
GPs are now working seven hours less per week and the annual average pay of a GP partner is £113,614, an increase of 58 per cent since 2002-03.
But the NAO found that GPs' pay has stayed the same or decreased.
GP partners have also taken more profit from the practice as pay.
Positive findings from the report include nurses spending more time on practice work, leaving GPs to spend more time with more complex cases.
GPs also now spend more time with each patient, an average of around 12 minutes compared to eight minutes in 2002-03.
"There is no doubt that a new GP contract was needed and there are now 4,000 more GPs than five years ago," said NAO head Tim Burr.
"But in return for higher pay, we have yet to see real increases in productivity. The extra money flowing into practices has largely benefited GP partners rather than rewarding other important members of the practice team.
"Primary care trusts now need to deliver to patients the benefits that were expected in return for GPs' increase in pay."
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