Doctors voted overwhelmingly in favour of the new contract

It will enable GPs to manage their workload better and allow them to decide which services they provide.

The shake-up is being viewed as an effort to tackle low morale and improve recruitment.

But there are fears that doctors and patients in rural areas could suffer under the new arrangements.

The deal allows doctors to manage their workload better by allowing them to opt in and out of providing services.

GP practices will still provide essential services but will be able to take on new duties currently only available in hospitals.

They will also be able to choose whether or not to offer vaccinations or take responsibility for out-of-hours care.

If a practice opts out the area's health board will take over responsibility for those services, which will be provided by employing salaried GPs.

There are fears that patients in rural areas could miss out on emergency consultations if local GPs opt out, or that doctors in remote parts could be forced to be on call 24 hours a day against their wishes.

There is much in the bill for GPs, but there is even more for patients and for the whole of the NHS Malcolm Chisholm Health Minister

GPs have voted overwhelmingly in favour of the new working conditions, which could see a reduction in working hours and encourage more doctors to move into general practice.

The Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Bill was passed by MSPs on Thursday by 110 votes to five.

Opening the debate at Holyrood, Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm announced �19m for NHS boards to invest in premises and improve primary care services.

He said �15m would be made available over two years from 2004 to help fund joint projects between NHS boards and councils.

The rest of the funding will be used for community health service centres which will offer diagnosis, treatment and support in a single location.

"The NHS is changing and it is only right that general practice changes along with it. The bill will help achieve this," he said.

The contract enables practices to deliver some high quality services that historically have only been available in hospitals Dr David Love British Medical Association

"There is much in the bill for GPs, but there is even more for patients and for the whole of the NHS."

Scottish National Party health spokeswoman Shona Robison warned that rural practices unable to opt out of out-of-hours services would still face recruitment problems.

She said: "I welcome the new funding for GPs, but whether that's enough to attract GPs in those areas, I don't know.

"I think the jury is still out on that one."

The British Medical Association said the legislation would revitalise general practice in Scotland.

Dr David Love, joint chairman of its Scottish general practitioners committee, said: "It will allow GPs to manage their workloads and improve the quality of care they deliver to their patients.