Below is a direct excerpt from BMA Scotlands own blog. You can view the article directly here.
SGPC formal dispute update: Scottish Government offer received, negotiations to begin
As you will be aware we have been in formal dispute with the Scottish Government since June of this year.
We have had multiple meetings with Government since and had anticipated an offer document that would describe how they will deliver the “substantial” and “generational” investment, as promised by the Cabinet Secretary, into General Practice. Indeed, as we continued to push for this, your Scottish GP Committee (SGPC) set a deadline of no later than 30th September for the committee to receive an offer.
We can confirm that we received an offer document from the Scottish Government on Monday 29th September. We are now committed to working intensely and at pace with Scottish Government to negotiate a final offer we hope will result in significant funding restoration and is acceptable to the profession.
On that basis, we are aiming for a final negotiated offer to be brought to, and discussed at, the next SGPC meeting scheduled for the 23rd October. If it is deemed acceptable, that will allow us a path to ultimately exit dispute.
But in recognition of the tight deadlines, and to cover all eventualities while negotiations continue, we will also continue preparations to conduct a ballot of the profession. That will mean that, if on the 23rd October, SGPC cannot accept the offer we have achieved through negotiation then we will organise a ballot for November.
Whatever path we take, the time has come for the profession to show a united front and insist that enough is enough. We are seeing record levels of demand coupled with further promises of more workload shift into the community and yet GP Practices are reducing sessions and staffing levels due to unprecedented cost pressures. This is completely unsustainable. Full Funding Restoration is what is required to salvage the profession and offer optimism for a safe, sustainable, quality General Practice. We are determined to achieve that through negotiations which will begin in earnest now we have an offer.
While receiving an offer to negotiate on is a step forward to exiting dispute, all options do remain open. So, to ensure you are able to have your say in any ballot, please join the BMA and ensure your contact details are up to date.
If required, we must be clear in our message to Government that we are willing to take a stand now to protect the future service to our patients and communities. Recognising that this will now be another intense period of negotiations, we will keep you updated as much as we can and ensure you are aware of any substantial developments.
Dr Iain Morrison, Chair BMA SGPC, Dr Chris Black, Deputy Chair BMA SGPC and Dr Al Miles, Deputy Chair BMA SGPC
