New GP contract ‘to bring back era of family doctors’

The government has moved to usher back in the era of the old-fashioned family doctor with the finalisation of the new GP contract for 2014/15.

Agreed between the British Medical Association's general practice committee and NHS England, the contract will require GPs to oversee personalised care plans integrating all services, with a particular focus on providing tailored treatment to old and vulnerable patients.

Doctors will be expected to offer patients same-day telephone consultations, while providing paramedics, accident and emergency doctors and care homes with treatment advice via a dedicated phone line.

Other key changes include greater transparency over practices' earnings and performance, more patient choice over which clinic they visit and fairer pay practices.

Health secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "This is about fixing the long-term pressures on our accident and emergency services, empowering hard-working doctors and improving care for those with the greatest need."

This comes after the government recently announced plans to introduce seven-day-a-week access to GP services from 2014/15, as well as expanded out-of-hours care options.