Scottish GPs resign from BMA in protest at new contract

A group of GPs in Scotland are resigning from the BMA in protest at the agreement of a new contract that they claim will have a “devastating” effect on patients in rural areas.

Although the contract was accepted by a majority of GPs in Scotland who took part in a BMA ballot,1 28% rejected it, with the strongest opposition coming from doctors in rural and deprived areas, on the grounds that the reworked funding formula shifts money to urban practices with elderly patients.

After the ballot the BMA responded to the criticisms by establishing a working group to ensure that the contract was delivered in a way that worked for rural areas.

But in an open letter to BMA leaders (see “Related Content”), 10 GPs from rural and urban parts …