The imminent take over of general practice by global corporations has come in for a slight problem. The World's banks have decided to stop lending money, and as a result are unable to support themselves. They are therefore less inclined to support venturing into new markets.

There are several contract negotiations which are said to have been stopped as a result.

It is likely that as a result GPs will be left to pick up the peices and take on more work for no extra money.

GP partners earned more in 2003-4 than in the previous year (or in the years since). The national audit office decided to release a report about the new GMS contract recently, which demonstrated that partners recieved a greater income in that year.

The discussions on the Today programme and elsewhere was how GPs had managed to earn so much. There was no mention that the aim was to increase pay from low levels to a more appropriate level, or that the BMA had warned the government how the targets would be met as GPs performance was way above what the government had estimated.

The 'over payment' was calculated as approaching a billion pounds. Nothing like what the banks will be getting to support their manager's christmas bonuses.