Lothian GP Dr Sandy Sutherland, who put forward the motion at the Clydebank event, said that a system with salaried doctors working alongside partners was unequal.

'Let's get back to a system where we are all treated the same,' he said.

The GMS contract had had the unintended consequence of a reduction in partnerships, said Dr Sutherland.

Given the rapidly diverging paths of healthcare policy in the devolved administrations, GPC Scotland should take action, said the motion.

'There is a lack of openings for new doctors. We need a contract with an incentive to appoint a partner,' said Dr Sutherland.

Tayside GP, Dr Daniel Franks, said the partnership model was unfair in its current form.

Speaking during a discussion on GPC Scotland document General Practice in Scotland: The Way Ahead, Dr Franks said a mix of salaried and partnered GPs was inequitable.

'It promotes the exploitation of other GPs,' he said.

He added that the lack of partnership opportunities pushed GPs into taking salaried posts.

'Salaried doctors are not choosing to be salaried. It's because there's stuff all else to do. You need to have a model where everyone is treated fairly,' said Dr Franks.

In the same debate Dr Alan McDevitt from Glasgow said the partnership model was good for the community.

'It's given us a commitment to the community over a long period of time.'

Dr John Rankin, of Forth Valley, said: 'We must keep the partnership model. If not then general practice as we know it is doomed. It is the only way to keep continuity of care. '

Proposing the motion for renegotiation, Dr Sutherland said that GPs could be employed on the understanding that they would have a chance of becoming a partner in future.

The conference rejected a call for a debate on adopting a salaried model for general practice.

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