By Steve Bargeton, political editor

Scottish GPs have reluctantly backed plans to work at weekends and out-of- office hours, while claiming ministers have “misled” patients over the changes.

Under a new contract brought in four years ago, GPs were restricted to normal office hours, and salaries increased to an average of over £90,000 a year.

However, ministers were keen to extend GP services and offered the average practice an extra £19,000 to stay open for around two-and-a-half hours longer each week.

In a poll published yesterday, the British Medical Association (BMA) said 97% of doctors opposed the change, but selected it over another option that involved no new funding.

The poll also showed 98% of Scottish respondents criticise the handling of the negotiations.

Despite yesterday’s decision, there is no guarantee GPs will change their opening times.

Dr Dean Marshall, chairman of the BMA’s Scottish GPs committee, said the issue has caused a split between GPs in Scotland and the Scottish Government.

“The strength of GP feeling on this issue cannot be understated,” he said.

“The poll results reflect the anger amongst Scottish GPs—not because they are being asked to deliver extended hours, but in the way that the Government has gone about negotiations on the matter.

“We recognise that the public wants extended hours, and by working in partnership with us the Government could have come up with a solution that was practical, implementable and would give patients the service they want.

“Instead patients’ expectations have been raised—they are being told that they will have access to ‘routine’ appointments at evening and weekends.

“They are being misled—the service that the Government is proposing will not deliver the comprehensive care available to patients who attend during the day, and even then the appointments available cannot be guaranteed for patients who work.

“This is a lose-lose situation for all involved.

“Patients will lose out because they will not get the level of improved access they expect, and the Scottish Government loses out because it cannot deliver on its promises and it has lost the support of a key part of the health service.”

However, health cabinet secretary Nicola Sturgeon welcomed the poll result.

She said, “I am pleased that GPs have voted for flexible working hours. We welcome the fact that GPs now accept the need for flexible surgery arrangements for patients.

“What GPs have objected to is the process—not the principle—and I believe GPs in Scotland will recognise the differences that have been offered to them in comparison to their UK colleagues in arrangements such as financial backing, the guarantee of no privatisation and the flexibility for local arrangements.”

Labour public health spokesman Dr Richard Simpson described the decision as “pragmatic.”

“However, it is regrettable that BMA members were forced to choose the ‘less worse’ option, and Nicola Sturgeon was unable to negotiate a package that the BMA could recommend to its members,” he said.

Scottish Lib Dem health spokesman Ross Finnie said, “It beggars belief that the SNP Government should try to piggyback on an ill- conceived attempt by the UK Government to bully GPs into changing their contract.

“Patients want more flexibility and better access to their doctors, but they want it in the context of 24-hour care.

“The only way this can be achieved is by the Scottish Government sitting down with the BMA and starting afresh to negotiate a 24-hour care provision—GPs and patients deserve no less.”

Scottish Tory health spokesman Mary Scanlon said, “Doctors have voted for the option to extend opening hours, but this option is based on paying them more if they do so.

“What if some family doctors decide to sacrifice pay to work the hours they want?

“This tug-of-war is far from over, and it is patients who are paying the price.

“The Scottish Government should have worked with the medical profession to devise a solution for improved access that took account of GPs’ circumstances.

“Instead, a situation was created where the outcome was imposed on GPs, rather than as the result of a thorough consultation.

“Today’s announcement is a victory for no one.”