According to the terms of the new GP contract, funding to cover maternity leave will be guaranteed for all GP practices so that any practice that needs cover for a GP partner for maternity, paternity or adoption leave will receive full funding from NHS England.

In a letter to area teams, NHS England said that the change from discretionary funding will mean that all practices receive ‘reimbursement of the actual cost of GP locum cover for maternity/paternity/adoption leave of £1,113.74 for the first two weeks and £1,734.18 thereafter, or the actual costs, whichever is the lower.’

The letter goes on to say that the reimbursement is intended to cover both external locums and cover provided by existing GPs within the practice who do not already work full time. However, it does not specify for how long the practice will be entitled to the reimbursement.

The new contract will also eliminate the anomaly that meant funding was not available for part-time GPs to work extra hours within their own practice to provide cover for GPs on any of the afore-mentioned leaves. Previously, cover had to be provided by external locums but now, in-house GPs will be able to extend their hours on a temporary basis.

Until April 2013, payments for locum cover for maternity leave and sick pay were determined by each Primary Care Trust (PCT) on a discretionary basis and some PCTs refused to make these payments in a bid to save money.

Leaders from the profession have welcomed the news, saying that the change would remove the ‘postcode lottery’ of which practices would have their cover paid for, while others have said that it is good news for doctors and families alike.