Under the terms of the legislation which underpins the introduction of the new General Medical Services (GMS) contract, it is for Lanarkshire NHS Board to determine the primary medical services needs of its local population and meet those needs by using the powers in the Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2004.To assist in this process, the new General Medical Services contract allocates resources according to an assessment of local health needs and recognises the importance of both the recruitment and retention of General Practitioners containing a number of measures which support this, including the continuation of the “Golden Hello” Scheme for GPs with a standard £5,000 payment.Funding has also been agreed to maintain increased numbers of GP registrarsacross Scotland, ensuring 280 places are available in 2004-05.New national workforce planning arrangements now being established under the National Workforce Committee will take into account...