Nurses in Scotland can already hold PMS contracts, but GMS contracts were previously held by GPs and could not be solely held by any other healthcare professional.

The amendment, which is subject to future regulation, is part of the Tobacco and Primary Medical Services Bill that was passed by Scottish Parliament on Tuesday.

Theresa Fyffe, director of RCN Scotland, said that as nurses are already allowed to deliver primary medical services there is ‘no reason' to prevent them from holding GMS contracts.

She said: ‘Nurses have an increasing role in leading patient care, and this trend is set to continue.

‘As such, it is only right that nurses should be able to hold GMS contracts without having to be in partnership with a GP.'

However, Dr Dean Marshall, chairman of the Scottish GPC, said he did not support the amendment, and questioned whether it was needed and how it would work.

‘Because GMS contracts are negotiated by the GPC, nurses wouldn't be represented in any way and they wouldn't have any way of influencing the contract they held,' he said.

‘I don't think that it is a big risk to GPs in Scotland, because it if was such a fantastic idea then lots of nurses would have taken up the option of holding PMS contacts, but they haven't.

Dr Richard Vautrey, deputy chairman of the GPC, said the likelihood of nurses taking on GMS contracts is ‘very small', and suggested that most GPs will want question why it was necessary.