The contract promises more funds for general practice

Family doctors across the UK have voted overwhelmingly in favour of the new working conditions.

The new contract will reduce working hours and could encourage more doctors to move into general practice in what is seen as the biggest shake-up since the 1950s.

Dr David Love, joint chairman of the BMA's Scottish GP committee, said: "Scotland's GPs have accepted that this contract provides a sound foundation by which to address the major recruitment and retention crisis now facing general practice.

"One of the major reasons for the current crisis in primary care is that for too long GPs have been expected to absorb an ever increasing workload, including transfer of work from hospitals, without any increase in practice resources to meet that demand."

'Reduction in stress'

Before the result of the vote was announced, Dr Yvonne Taylor, who works in a practice in Glasgow, told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland the move could bring more regulated working.

"It's not purely about personal remuneration, it's about the ability to deliver good quality care and a reduction in stress," she said.

"And it's been shown by the fall in recruitment to general practice and the difficulty in retaining people that morale is in fact very low.

"The status quo is not acceptable and although this contract is not by any means a perfect contract, it's better than the one we had and probably as good as the government is going to allow us to have."

Rural concerns

Under the terms of the proposals doctors would not have to work outside regular working hours.

However, the Scottish Executive insists this would not mean a cut in services to patients.

Special arrangements have also been promised for rural areas.

But Dr David Murray, a GP in Loch Carron, is sceptical.

"It seems impossible that GPs such as myself and others in remote areas can actually opt out and patients still have a good safe service," he said.

The cost of the new contract to the Scottish Executive would be �142m over three years.