‘Relief’ for general practice in Scotland

  GP leaders have given a cautious welcome to a package of measures to provide ‘immediate relief’ to general practice across Scotland. Health, well-being and sport secretary Shona Robison told the Scottish local medical committees conference last week that the investment — amounting to £20m — would address short-term pressures on GPs and practice staff. Ms Robison also said she recognised that long-term change was needed and that she was working with the BMA Scotland GPs committee to achieve this. The announcement came less than two hours after SGPC chair Alan McDevitt warned that practices needed urgent help to survive — and follows discussions between SGPC and the Scottish Government on the future of the general medical services contract in Scotland. At the conference in Clydebank, Dr McDevitt said general practice was facing some of its toughest challenges with workload and patient demand at record levels. ‘Without commitment to substantial new primary care funding and staff, the general practice we all need and value may not survive,’ he said. Ms Robison said the Scottish Government had a clear vision for primary care and GP services involving patients being supported in the community by a team of health professionals, with the GP acting as clinical lead. The funding includes: £11m to uplift GP pay by 1 per cent and GP expenses by 1.5 per cent, and to cover the costs of population growth £5m to fund...
Source: BMA News - Category: UK Health Source Type: news