Glossary

Much of the terminology relating to general practices and their workforce has changed since the introduction of the new General Medical Services (GMS) contract on 1st April 2004. Information shown on this site primarily relates to the period after the introduction of the new GMS contract; however, there is also some archive information included (available up to 1st October 2003). Therefore, for ease of use, the glossary presented here is divided into the two periods.

Terms currently applicable (for 2004 onwards)

2C practice: With effect from 1st April 2004, The Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2004 amended The National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978 by placing a duty on NHS Boards to provide or secure 'primary medical services' for their populations.  NHS Boards can do so by making arrangements with 17C and/or 17J practices.  Additionally they can arrange for services to be provided directly (this is known as 'direct provision') or via another organisation (this is known as a 'Health Board Primary Medical Services' contract). These additional options are included under Section 2C of the 1978 Act.

17C practice: A 'Section 17C' (formerly known as 'Personal Medical Services' or 'PMS') practice is one that has a locally negotiated agreement, enabling, for example, flexible provision of services in accordance with specific local circumstances. Section 17C is in respect of The National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978, as amended under The Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2004.

17J practice: A 'Section 17J' or 'GMS' (General Medical Services) practice is one that has a standard, nationally negotiated contract.  Within this, there is some local flexibility for GPs to 'opt out' of certain services or 'opt in' to the provision of other services. Section 17J is in respect of The National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978, as amended under The Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2004.

Additional services: In addition to essential services, practices can also provide what are termed Additional services, although each practice can choose to opt out of providing any additional service if they so wish. Additional services are defined as:

• Cervical Screening
• Contraceptive Services
• Vaccinations and Immunisations
• Childhood Vaccinations and Immunisations
• Child Health Surveillance
• Maternity Medical Services
• Minor Surgery
• Out of Hours Services

Average list size: The average number of registered patients per practice, in each NHS Board. This is calculated by dividing the number of patients registered with a general practice in the NHS Board area by the number of practices in the Board.

Essential services: Under the terms of the new GMS contract, practices must provide certain Essential services to patients.  Essential services are defined as:

• Management of patients who are ill or believe themselves to be ill with conditions from which recovery is generally expected
• Management of patients who are terminally ill
• Management of chronic disease
• Provide ongoing care to registered and temporary patients

• Provide primary care medical services in core hours to treat accidents or emergencies.

GPCD: General medical Practitioner Contractor Database. A centralised, online database that allows NHS boards to register GP performers who want to work in their Board on their Performer List, as required by legislation.

new General Medical Services (GMS) contract: On 1^st April 2004 a new GMS contract was introduced across the UK. This can be shortened to 'GMS' or 'nGMS', the 'n' emphasising that it is the new version of the contract.  Further information in relation to the nGMS contract can be found as follows:
The Scottish Executive Pay Modernisation Team website

General Medical Services Statement of Financial Entitlements for 2004/05

General Medical Services Statement of Financial Entitlements for 2005 onwards

Performer: This can have two meanings, depending on where it is used:

• In parts of tables where different types of Performer are listed (e.g. Performer, Performer registrar, etc.).  A GP who is a 'Performer' (as opposed to one of the other types) can also be referred to as a partner in a practice.  This was previously known as 'GP principal'.
• In table totals or other places where the total number of Performers is referred to. This means that all relevant types of Performers are included in the total (with any exceptions stated) to give an overall number of GPs

As all GPs are required by law to be registered on an NHS Board's Performer List in order to work, they are all known as Performers.  However, subcategories of Performers are identifiable and counted in the tables published here, in order to show a more detailed picture and for as much continuity as possible with what has been published previously.

Performer List: For a GP to work in an NHS Board, legislation requires that they must first be registered on that Board's Performer List.

Performer registrar: A medical practitioner who is being trained in general practice.

Performer retainee: A GP who can be utilised by a practice as they are required. This primarily aims to allow female GPs returning to work after maternity leave to keep in touch with medicine, but it does not exclude men.

Performer salaried: A GP who is employed by the practice or by the NHS Board on a salaried basis.

WTE: Whole Time Equivalent. This is an estimated measurement of the manpower resource available, taking into account GP performers who work part time. Not directly available for 2005 or 2006 data.

 

Terms applicable prior to the introduction of the new GMS contract (data up to 1 October 2003)

Approved Trainer: a GP principal approved by the Regional Committee for Postgraduate Medical Education to act as a trainer to trainee principals.

Assistant medical practitioner: a practitioner employed by a practice to assist in the provision of either general or non-general medical services, or both.

Associate medical practitioner: a practitioner employed jointly by two or three single-handed isolated principals in order to allow the opportunity for regular time off and training. In exceptional circumstances an associate may be employed by one single-handed (or 2 job-sharing) isolated principal.

Average list size (per GP): the average number of registered patients per GP principal, calculated by dividing the number of patients in the practice by the number of principals (for headcount basis) or by the total WTE of principals in the practice (for WTE basis). Establishment data (see below) are always included when calculating average list size per GP.

Dispensing principals and payments: a dispensing principal is required by a health board to dispense medicines to some or all of his/her patients and receives payments, which include a dispensing fee, in respect of each item dispensed. This is still applicable, with slightly different terminology.

Establishment: includes any vacant posts and/or the patients attached to those posts.

GMS: General Medical Services

Headcount: a count of the number of actual posts, regardless of contract status

In post: excludes vacant posts and/or patients attached to those posts.

PMS: Personal Medical Services (since 1^st April 2004 referred to as Section 17C practices). PMS practices provided the services offered by General Medical Services practices and in addition they gave Primary Care Trusts different options for addressing primary care needs in their local areas, which allowed development of new arrangements for delivery of services.

Practice size: headcount or WTE of principals in practice or partnership.

Restricted list principal: a practitioner on the medical list of a health board whose patient list is restricted to a particular group of people, e.g. patients resident in a school or other institution.

Retainees: General medical Practitioners (GPs) who can be utilised by practices' as they are required. This primarily aims to allow female GPs returning to work after maternity leave to keep in touch with medicine, but it does not exclude men.

Unrestricted principal: a practitioner on the medical list of a health board whose patient list is not limited to any particular group of people and who provides a full range of general medical services, can also be referred to as a partner in a practice.

UPE: Unrestricted principals and their equivalents in PMS practices.

Whole time equivalent (WTE): an estimated measurement of the manpower resource available, derived from contract status as follows:

A principal working full time equals 1 unit of WTE; a principal working three-quarter time equals 0.69 units of WTE; a principal working half-time equals 0.6 units of WTE and a job-sharing principal equals 0.65.

A two-partner practice containing one full-time and one three-quarter time principal would therefore be a practice of estimated size = 1.69, using WTE. The above weighting factors have been used since 1 January 2000 and applied retrospectively. (Data released prior to that date will have been calculated using the following weighting factors: three-quarter time 0.75, half-time and job-share 0.5, and should therefore be recalculated.)