The government announced last week that MPIG would be axed over a seven-year period, the QOF would undergo its largest ever change, and GPs would receive a 1.5% pay increase in return for a significant increase in work.
Responding to the announcement earlier this week, GPC chairman Dr Laurence Buckman said: 'GPs will be stunned and angered that the government is disregarding five months of detailed negotiations between the BMA and NHS Employers which was in its final stages just a couple of weeks ago. The government must urgently rethink its approach and return to our negotiated settlement that was so close to being concluded.'
But NHS Employers, which negotiates over contracts on behalf of the government, released a statement on Thursday dismissing the claim that a deal was close.
A spokesman said: 'While much of our discussion on the 2013/14 GMS contract with the GPC has been positive, the NHS Employers organisation does not share the BMA’s view that a negotiated settlement was at any point close to being concluded.
'However, NHS Employers remains available and willing to further discuss potential changes to the GMS contract with the GPC and has already made that known to the GPC.'
