GP Contract 2024/25 – Contract Imposition
Date published: 01/03/2024
The 24/25 GP contract has been released, and for the third consecutive year has been imposed rather than negotiated. We are extremely disappointed by the Government’s failure to recognise the impact that years of underfunding have already had on general practice leading to practices closing and depletion of the general practice workforce.
Despite the length of the contract letter, the narrative is merely window dressing to deflect from a lack of investment and a repurposing of the same monies into existing pots. The contract seeks to further disintermediate practices, with increasing focus on the PCNs being incentivised to performance manage their constituent practices.
The reality of this contract imposition is that general practice is being given a 2% uplift at a time when the national minimum wage is increasing by a further 10%, inflation is currently running at 4% (cumulatively 7.3% in 2023 and 9.1% in 2022) and consultants have been awarded a 6% pay rise. For this contract to match 2019/20 funding, it would need an 8.7% uplift. Practices cannot be expected to continue to be the most efficient part of the health system and yet be expected to transform to deliver even more, and at the same time have its funding cut even further in real terms.
The BMA has previously announced that it will be running a referendum on the GP contract: it is now confirmed that it will run from 7th to 27th March. To be eligible to vote in the referendum, you need to be a member of the BMA. The referendum won’t prevent the Government from imposing these changes to the contract, but it will give the BMA insight into how the profession feels, and next steps. Further details can be found at GP investment in England (bma.org.uk)
General practice cannot continue to be the most undervalued part of the health care system; the toll on staff and risk to patients is too great.
The BMA has responded to the imposition of the contract Responding to the new GP contract for 2024/25 - BMA media centre - BMA and will be running a webinar and roadshows and we will share details when they are available. We would also like to remind practices of the BMA’s guidance on Safe working in general practice (bma.org.uk) Please contact the LMC if you require any support at this time.