asked the Minister for Health if some doctors appended the words "under duress" to their new general medical service contracts.
Written Answers. - General Medical Service Contracts.
22.
I have been informed by some health boards that a small number of contracts have been returned in this manner.
However, in such cases, the chief executive officer of the health board has written to the doctor informing him that the contract will be accepted, only in the circumstances of a clear and unconditional acceptance of the new terms and conditions.
Doctors have until 16 March next to indicate their acceptance on this basis.
23.
asked the Minister for Health the number of the 1,575 general practitioners in the general medical service who have validly signed the new contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The most up to date figure available to me from health boards indicates an acceptance figure of some 1,430 doctors out of 1,595 doctors who were issued with contract documents.
The health boards have also informed me that a number of returned contracts have given rise to the need for some further clarification, mainly in relation to matters of hours of attendance and centres of practice. In this regard, chief executive officers have written to the doctors concerned indicating their board's acceptance of the contract on the strict understanding that matters requiring clarification will be resolved to the satisfaction of the board and in accordance with the terms and conditions as specified in the new agreement.
Doctors in this category have been given until 16 March next to confirm their acceptance of the boards requirements in this matter.