The BMA says the future of community hospitals is at risk

The GPs provide cover at hospitals in their area on top of running their own practices.

They blame a breakdown in talks between the British Medical Association (BMA) and the Welsh Assembly Government to negotiate a Wales-wide deal to fund the service.

A hospital spokesman said the hospital trust will be talking to GPs and local health boards about future services.

Talks over the future of GPs in community hospitals broke down earlier this month and then the BMA in Wales voiced its fears for the future of many of the 60 community hospitals across Wales.

The planned resignation from 27 September by the Chepstow GPs is the first evidence of action but Dr Andrew Dearden, chair of BMA Cymru's GPs' committee, told BBC Wales that other doctors could follow their example.

GPs want to concentrate on general practice and about delivering quality to their patients Dr Andrew Dearden

"GPs have been working in community hospitals over the last 10 to 20 years and the contract has never been modernised" said Dr Dearden.

"What we wanted to do is modernise the contract so that we could maintain the service".

Since a new contract for GPs was introduced in April, doctors are no longer required to provide an out-of-hours service.

From September, the responsibility for ensuring there is enough cover for patients transfers to local health boards.

Dr Dearden said the BMA had been looking at the issue since January.

Quality

"What GPs are saying is 'Let's work together, let's get a deal together that can keep the services going locally," he said.

"But we've simply not been able to get anything going locally.

"GPs want to concentrate on general practice and about delivering quality to their patients."

In a statement on the GPs' planned action, Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust said: "The GP-led out of hours for patients in Gwent will continue to be provided after September 2004.

"However, the implications of the new GMC contract are now extending to the medical cover provided to community hospitals.

"The trust is currently assessing the implications of this across Gwent and we will be discussing this with the Local Health Boards and their GP colleagues in the near future".

Earlier this month a Welsh Assembly Government spokesman said it had never confirmed that it would negotiate the national rates of remuneration at a national level.