These payments are made in recognition of the increased workload involved and to assist GPs in providing a high quality of service. The deprivation payments scheme was enhanced from 1 April 1999, increasing payments by £2.4 million to a total of £7.3 million in 1999-2000.As indicated in Our National Health published on 14 December, we will also develop new contractual arrangements for GPs, building on Personal Medical Services pilots already underway, to allow Trusts to employ GPs directly to work in socially deprived areas.