Concerns have been expressed at the levels of healthcare available in Wales with the imposition of new GPs contracts.

The new terms, which come into force this week, allow GPs to opt out of offering out-of-hours services, but allow them to offer other facilities such as specialist clinics.

Salaries are performance-related, while spending on primary health care will increase by 33 per cent.

However, a BBC investigation has found that this could lead to nurses and other care professionals taking on the role of GPs.

Lisa Francis, a member of the Welsh assembly for Mid and West Wales, warned that residents in rural areas would be affected particularly badly.

"There hasn't been much research into what will happen when the contracts come into effect," she said.

"Who will go out in the night to change a patient's catheter, for example?  A lot of the work done by GPs isn't in their job description - but they still do it.

"The effects are that people will suffer, there won't be much confidence in the system and everything will get worse."

A Welsh assembly government spokesman insisted that new options are now being considered.

While ministers accept there are problems under the new system, they can be overcome, he added.