How Scotland's new contract takes the burden of premises off GPs' shoulders

[Northerner]

Practice premises are 'increasingly perceived as an unwanted liability by potential GP partners' and have become a barrier to recruitment, retention and retirement, the Scottish government and the BMA believe.

In proposals for a new Scottish GP contract that could take effect from 2018, all GP partners who own their premises will be offered interest-free 'GP sustainability loans' to help reduce costs.

For practices in leased premises, regional NHS boards will take over responsibility for their leases - with the Scottish government stating that its long-term strategy is that 'no GP contractor will need to enter a lease with a private landlord for GP practice premises'.

A document spelling out the detail of the new contract says that the Scottish government and the Scottish GPC 'recognise and support a long-term shift that gradually moves towards a model which does not presume GPs own their practice premises'. The shift will be achieved under a National Code of Practice for GP Premises - a 25-year plan to move general practice to the new premises system.

https://www.gponline.com/scotlands-...en-premises-off-gps-shoulders/article/1449955

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[Ally beetle]

Sorry but gps are contracted by the NHS to do a service, they earn a good wage and are well remunerated for everything they do. Why are we subsidising them further

 

[mikeyB]

GPs in England are self employed, and have been since the start of the NHS. The NHS has no role in making appointments in group practices. In Scotland, there are directly paid GPs, particularly in the Highlands and Islands because there isn’t the practice population to earn rewards for, say, immunisations, cervical smears, and the like.

It was announced this week that such GPs could expect to be paid a fixed £80,000. Slightly more than your average GP, but considerably less than a senior consultant. You’ve got to induce GPs to work out in the sticks, you can’t just say there are nice views.

And the NHS in Scotland is fully devolved, so don’t worry, you’re not subsidising this plan.

 

[Copepod]

I can remember being very surprised and shocked when I learned about GPs at the start of the NHS. The NHS was only able to start by agreeing to GPs being independent practicitioners, contracted to provide services.
As MikeyB explains, devolution has allowed changes in Scotland that are not currently possible in England.

 

[Ally beetle]

Sorry i was not trying to bash gp's just making a point but I did not know the facts about Scotland's devolvment