Scottish Conservatives to unveil plans to deliver 1,000 extra GPs

Douglas Ross will set out the party's health policy later

Under the plans, patients will be given a guarantee of seeing a family doctor within a week
Author: Kieran BrandPublished 9th Feb 2024

The Scottish Conservatives leader Douglas Ross is set to unveil how his party will deliver 1,000 more GPs to save Scotland's NHS from "breaking point".

The plans will be set out in the party's policy paper on health later.

Under the proposals, patients will be given a guarantee of seeing a family doctor within a week by raising the proportion of NHS funding going to GP services by 12%.

The patient guarantee will also sanction health boards which exceed maximum waiting times for certain procedures.

Scottish Conservatives claim "we can all see cracks" in health system

The Tory leader is also expected to accuse First Minister Humza Yousaf and former health secretary Michael Matheson of presiding over a "permanent crisis" in the NHS.

The Scottish Government’s plan is to increase the number of GPs by at least 800 by 2028.

Douglas Ross will add: "We can all see the cracks in a system that is well past breaking point.

"Despite the best efforts of hardworking staff, one in seven Scots - over 800,000 people - are on an NHS waiting list.

"Performance in A&E, cancer, mental health and delayed discharge have all hit record lows in recent years, and more staff are now leaving the service than joining it.

"Our health service is in permanent crisis.

“Yet the SNP Government offer no vision to turn around the NHS's fortunes.

"Humza Yousaf is the architect of a flimsy recovery plan that has seen standards fall across our health service since the Covid pandemic - and not get any better."

Mr Ross will claim that 86 local health facilities have closed since 2012 in favour of increased centralisation.

He said his party would "make unacceptable waits just to see your GP a thing of the past".

The Scottish Government has been asked for comment.

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