Warning Issued On Extra GP Numbers

Up to 915 extra GPs could be needed if Scotland's population grows substantially in the next five years, a health professionals body has said.

The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Scotland said even if the population grows at a lower predicted rate, a further 563 GPs will be needed to meet the demand.

The college has accused the Scottish Government of misleading statements about a growth in the number of GPs in Scotland.

More than a third of Scots (36%) say that last time they tried to book an appointment, they could not get to see their GP within the Scottish Government's 48-hour HEAT target for GP access, a ComRes poll carried out between March and April found.

Over a quarter (28%) say that they were unable to book an appointment within a week and about three in ten (29%) say that the ability to see their GP will decline over the next five years.

Around two in five (42%) agreed that waiting times are a national crisis''.

Dr Miles Mack, chair of RCGP Scotland, said: The Scottish Government has unfortunately not yet faced up to the crisis in Scottish medical services.

Governmental press statements consistently claim increases in GP numbers that ignore the impact of part-time workers and directly contradict their own reporting from NHS Scotland's Information Services Division (ISD).

We had, according to the ISD primary care workforce survey of 2013, only 35 new whole time equivalent GPs between 2009 and 2013.

Similarly, it is repeated that Scotland has more GPs per head of population than England. That has always been the case and our larger rural areas have been a significant contributor to that.''

Scottish Conservative health spokesman Jackson Carlaw said: The Conservatives are committed to investing in the Scottish NHS, with a pledge of an additional £800 million per annum by the end of the next parliament.

This will provide funds for a fundamental investment in primary care. The current model is failing with GPs giving up and new doctors staying abroad.

We need a new model which encourages GPs to stay and others to return to Scotland.''

Jenny Marra, Scottish Labour's health spokeswoman, said: We know our GPs are under real pressure trying to keep our communities healthy and we need more doctors to ensure people get the care and support they deserve. We also know the reliance on locums is hurting the public purse.

Labour's plan to invest in our NHS by raising tax for the very wealthiest across the UK will allow us to recruit more doctors.

The Royal College of General Practitioners is right to recognise that Labour is the only party with a plan to tackle our NHS staffing crisis and we look forward to working with them to build the kind of NHS we want for Scotland.''

Health Secretary Shona Robison said: Under this Government, the number of GPs employed in Scotland has risen by 6.9% to nearly 5,000 - the highest ever on record. We have also increased funding by 10% and there are more GPs per head of population in Scotland than in England.

This Government will continue to go on supporting and sustaining Scottish general practice.

For example, the recently-agreed GP contract aims to give the profession stability over the next three years - reducing bureaucracy and allowing doctors to spend more time with patients. And we will continue to work with the RCGP, the BMA and others to find innovative solutions to GP recruitment and retention challenges.''