GP Contract: Comparison

Question 1

What are the 3 different contract types for GPs?

Answer 1

• General Medical Services (GMS)
• Personal Medical Services (PMS)
• Alternative Provider Medical Services contracts (APMS)

Question 2

What are the differences between the contracts with regards to who can provide the contracts?

Answer 2

• GMS & PMS contracts - GP or qualifying health professional or company 100% owned by the qualifying persons.
• APMS - no restriction of providers.

Question 3

What are the differences between the contracts with regards to who how they are negotiated?

Answer 3

• GMS - nationally negotiated.
• PMS & APMS - locally negotiated with mandatory terms

Question 4

What are the differences between the contracts with regards to the scope of the contracts?

Answer 4

• GMS
  
  • Essential services (e.g. day-to-day care)
  • Optional additional services (e.g. minor surgery and enhanced services)
• PMS - core additional services (similar to GMS)
• APMS - depends on the individual contracts.

Question 5

What are the differences between the contracts with regards to the length of the contracts?

Answer 5

• GMS - open ended which cannot be terminated unless fault proven.
• PMS - usually 5 years. Contract may be terminated.
• APMS - usually 3 years - Contract may be terminated.

Question 6

What are the differences between the contracts with regards to how payment is constructed and what services are paid for?

Answer 6

• GMS - global sum with minimum practice incomes gaurantees (MPIG), QOF, enhanced services, premises, IT.
• PMS - Baseline set nationally, QOF.
• APMS - locally negotiated

Question 7

What are the majority of GP practices?

Answer 7

GMS

Question 8

If you are a GP in a PMS, how might this affect your income

Answer 8

Your income will tend to be higher.