GPC Wales has warned that the Welsh government’s support for proposed changes to the GMS contract would have a detrimental effect on patients and practices across the country.
DH plans would see the MPIG phased out and QOF overhauled. GPC Wales chairman Dr David Bailey said: ‘These proposals will have a huge impact on general practice in Wales, it is unfair to patients and unfair to practices.
‘GPs in Wales are already working 12% harder than their counterparts in England as a result of higher levels of ill health, and also earn on average 10% less – with the current proposals likely to worsen the gap, and adversely affect the ability to attract doctors to Wales, particularly to general practice.
‘If the government’s proposals are implemented as planned, practices will face very significant increases in their workload. This will place an enormous strain on GPs and their staff at a time when many are struggling under the weight of increasing patient demand.
‘The focus on targets and tick box medicine will also reduce access to GP appointments for those patients not in target groups.’
Earlier this year, the Welsh LMCs conference unanimously supported a motion urging the GPC not to negotiate away MPIG 'until appropriate financial arrangements are put in place'.
