GPs accept out-of-hours proposal

The proposal is aimed at extending access to doctors

Scottish GPs have voted to accept proposals to work evenings and weekends, but condemned the way the government has handled negotiations.

The British Medical Association (BMA), which carried out the poll, said many would opt to take a pay cut rather than change their hours.

The health secretary welcomed the vote in favour of flexible working hours.

Most family doctors stopped working out of hours under a new contract negotiated four years ago.

But ministers in Scotland are now keen to extend GP services.

Doctors' representatives said the government offered them a poor deal and threatened to impose an even worse one if they did not accept it.

In the BMA poll, 93% of Scottish GPs voted to accept the government's proposals.

The strength of GP feeling on this issue cannot be understated Dr Dean Marshall BMA's Scotland

However, 97% said they opposed both the options which had been put forward and had chosen the proposals they felt were "less worse".

Meanwhile, 98% said the government's handling of the situation had been unacceptable.

It will be up to individual doctors to decide whether to open longer hours or take a cut in funding.

Dr Dean Marshall, chairman of the BMA's Scottish general practitioner's committee said: "The strength of GP feeling on this issue cannot be understated.

"The poll results reflect the anger amongst Scottish GPs, not because they are being asked to deliver extended hours, but in the way that the government has gone about negotiations on the matter."

He said the Scottish Government had missed a valuable opportunity by adopting the UK model.

Lost support

"We recognise that the public wants extended hours and by working in partnership with us, the government could have come up with a solution that was practical, implementable and would give patients the service they want," he said.

Dr Marshall said that patients' expectations have been raised and that they had been "misled" into thinking that the same level of service would be available in the evenings and at weekends as during the day.

"This is a lose, lose situation for all involved. Patients will lose out because they will not get the level of improved access they expect and the Scottish Government loses out because it cannot deliver on its promises and it has lost the support of a key part of the health service," he said.

I believe GPs in Scotland will recognise the differences that have been offered to them in comparison to their UK colleagues Nicola Sturgeon Health Secretary

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: "I am pleased that GPs have voted for flexible working hours.

"We welcome the fact that GPs now accept the need for flexible surgery arrangements for patients.

"What GPs have objected to is the process not the principle and I believe GPs in Scotland will recognise the differences that have been offered to them in comparison to their UK colleagues in arrangements such as financial backing, the guarantee of no privatisation and the flexibility for local arrangements."

She said it was now time to get on with the practical implementation of the new package.

Liberal Democrat health spokesman Ross Finnie said: "The BMA opinion poll results are a damning indictment of the Scottish Government's handling of our local GPs.

"It beggars belief that the SNP government should try to piggyback on an ill-conceived attempt by the UK Government to bully GPs into changing their contract."