Under the General Medical Services (GMS) contract, GPs are reimbursed for a range of services they provide to medical card and GP visit card holders. GPs are remunerated for these services primarily on a capitation basis, with a range of additional support payments and fees for specific items of service.
GPs contracted under the GMS scheme receive a contribution towards the cost of securing locum cover for certain types of leave, including annual leave, sick leave, maternity/paternity leave, adoptive leave and study leave. The amount payable is dependent on the size of the GP's GMS patient panel. There is no provision under the GMS scheme for a GP to receive contribution towards locum expenses to cover periods of compassionate leave.