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They are angry with the way that contract negotiations have been held and that NHS Employers has to refer to the DoH when it comes to making decisions about vital aspects of the GP contract, for example childhood vaccinations.

The GPC was unhappy about  NHS Employers' insistence on negotiations on contract efficiencies for 2007/8 when it felt this issue had been dealt with in the 2006/7 quality framework.

The issue is to be put before representatives of LMCs, who were due to meet with the GPC as GP went to press.

Dr Dean Marshall, chairman of the Scottish GPC, was scathing about the role of NHS Employers, with whom negotiations are normally conducted.

'What's the point of talking to NHS Employers if it is unable to make decisions?' he said. 'We have to decide whether we should continue negotiation with NHS Employers. It might be better to go straight to the DoH.

'We might take the view that the GPC and the government should present evidence directly to the Review Body.'

He added that the GPC was particularly angry because of the way that negotiations were handled by NHS Employers.

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