The contract, initially launched in April 2004, includes a frameworkthat rewards doctors financially for increasing the quality of theirservices, effectively prioritising some areas over others.
Healthcare experts have warned that the current contract fails to boostthe profile of children's health or encourage GPs to develop expertisein the area (Children Now, 2-9 March 2005).
Under the new contract for 2006/07, which was announced at the end oflast month, GPs will be rewarded for treating new clinical areas inmental health, palliative care, obesity and learning disabilities.
However, it has failed to accommodate calls to introduce measuresspecific to children and adolescent health.
David Hall, professor of community paediatrics at the University ofSheffield, called the framework a "complete blank" that was almostentirely adult-orientated. He said the only amendment regardingchildren's health was a minor technical change to the way childimmunisations were calculated.
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