NAO: Contract potential unrealised

Primary care trusts need to do more to deliver the expected benefits of GPs' contracts, National Audit Office (NAO) head Tim Burr said today.

Mr Burr was commenting as the NAO published a report showing the impact of the contracts, introduced in 2003.

"There is no doubt that a new GP contract was needed and there are now 4,000 more GPs than five years ago," he said.

"But in return for higher pay, we have yet to see real increases in productivity."

Mr Burr said much of the extra money - £1.76 billion more than the Department of Health had expected – has benefited GP partners rather than other important members of the practice team, undermining the contracts' effectiveness.

"Primary care trusts now need to deliver to patients the benefits that were expected in return for GPs increase in pay," he added.