Key changes to the GMS Contract for 2012-13 have been announced.

Full details are online here

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The key points are:

Uplift to the GMS contract
· there will be no increase to General Medical Practitioners’ pay in 2012/13
· there will be an uplift of 0.5 per cent to the GMS contract to help meet the costs of increased practice expenses, including pay increases for employed staff with a full time equivalent salary of less than £21,000.

Quality and Outcomes Framework
· A number of changes to QOF following the recommendations made by NICE including the introduction of two new disease areas; osteoporosis and peripheral arterial disease.
· The QP prescribing indicators will end on 31 March 2012 and will be replaced by a number of indicators which aim to reduce avoidable accident and emergency attendances. These indicators will initially be in place for one year.
· It has also been agreed to extend (for one year) the emergency admissions and referrals indicators.
· It has been agreed to increase a number of upper and lower thresholds.

Extended Hours Access Directed Enhanced Services
· the Extended Hours Access Directed Enhanced Service (DES) has been extended by one year (to 31st March 2013). The requirements and funding remain the same.

Clinical Directed Enhanced Services
· two clinical DESs in England (alcohol and learning disabilities) will be extended for a further year (to 31 March 2013).
· the osteoporosis DES will end on 31 March 2012 in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland (they do not have the DES in Wales). New indicators relating to osteoporosis have been included in QOF from April 2012.