The contract saw the introduction of a 'practice based contract' with an unprecedented scale of investment in general medical services.
From 1 April 2004 the blue book outlining the new contract, was implemented throughout the UK with specific responsibilities as follows:
- Primary care organisations (PCOs) are accountable for implementation in their localities.
- Strategic health authorities (SHAs), or their equivalents, are responsible for performance managing PCOs.
- The Primary Care Contracting Team in England support PCTs and SHAs in implementing the contract.
- The health departments performance manage SHAs (or their equivalents) and ministers are accountable to Parliament for overall implementation and the use of public money.
The NHS Confederation negotiated on behalf of the Departments of Health in England and Northern Ireland and the devolved administrations in Wales and Scotland.
Contract changes 2009/10
This page outlines the contract changes for 2009/10
Contract changes 2008/09
This page outlines the contract changes for 2008/09
