Few savings from commissioning.

GPs are unlikely to make significant savings from practice-led commissioning due to national secondary care tarriffs and local agreements, according to a GP negotiator.

The comments followed news that GPs in Sunderland will only make minimal savings under practice-based commissioning because Sunderland PCT is committed to a prior pay protection deal with the local foundation hospital until 2007.

GPC negotiator Dr Richard Vautrey said: 'I think that the probability of practices making significant savings under practice-led commissioning is going to be remote anywhere.'

He blamed national tariffs, adding: 'There is little scope for negotiating a price …