Doctors Demand 'Clear Political Strategy' For GP Service

Doctors have accused the Scottish Government of prevaricating'' over the use of a fund aimed at tackling GP workload and recruitment.

The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Scotland has called for ministers to set out a clear political strategy'' for general practice.

The organisation welcomed a £50 million investment in primary care announced in June, but said the money is far from enough''.

RCGP Scotland said the funding share for GPs had fallen for a 10th year in a row, with general practice allocated 7.6% of NHS Scotland funding in 2013/14.

Meanwhile, the number of consultations at GP practices has risen by 11% in 10 years to 24.2 million.

Chairman Dr Miles Mack said: Grassroots GPs have come to question if a political strategy exists for general practice in Scotland.

Even the small beginning to addressing the problems has stalled. In November of last year a primary care fund was announced. Its use lay undecided until it was eventually replaced with a new, lesser fund announced this June.

Much of that, too, is now sitting fallow with decisions pending on its use. We were assured of urgent action on recruitment and retention of GPs. Despite June's announcement we have little confirmed.

The profession still does not know what definite actions will be taken. The time to act is now. The tipping point for general practice is fast approaching.If the Scottish Government want a service to care for the people of Scotland then they must stop prevaricating and employ the shrinking funds available to at least plug the gaps in what is an increasingly threatened primary care service.''

Around 2,000 people are expected to attend RCGP's annual primary care conference, which gets under way at the SECC in Glasgow on Thursday with an address from Health Secretary Shona Robison.

In advance of the conference, the organisation has published a manifesto for next year's Scottish Parliamentary elections.

It calls for a commitment to recruit an extra 740 GPs by 2020 and ensure medical students and trainees are regularly exposed to general practice.

The manifesto wants ongoing, sustained increases in investment in general practice until it receives the necessary 11% of NHS Scotland spending''.

Other calls for action include greater engagement with GPs on the ongoing integration of health and social care and the creation of clusters of GPs in geographic areas.

Dr Mack added: If the Scottish Government truly wishes to promote general practice with us - to reassure the public, to encourage medical students and trainees, and to bolster morale among GPs themselves - then we hope to hear of immediate action, not more promises for tomorrow.''

Health Secretary Shona Robison said: The Scottish Government will continue to work constructively with GPs - particularly around the need for new ways of working within primary care.

We've been clear our approach is based on working closely with the BMA towards a brand new Scottish GP contract for 2017 and onwards. In the meantime, we have introduced a period of stability and a reduction in bureaucracy so that those negotiations can proceed constructively.

We've also supported this process by increasing the amount of funding for primary care by £81 million, or 12%, under this Government

However, there is no doubt there are challenges in relation to workload and recruitment for GPs. Our £60 million Primary Care Fund is intended to be a first step towards addressing these immediate challenges - while we work on a long-term sustainable solution for primary care.

To address the profession's concerns about one-off funding, we extended this substantial investment over three years and we have already begun allocating funding to various areas.

We'll also be piloting a new approach to primary care over the next year, which will see GPs working alongside a multidisciplinary team of professionals, who will all help support patient's needs.

This will mean that patients may see the professional, such as a pharmacist or nurse, with the most appropriate clinical skills - freeing up GP's to see the most complex and urgent cases. This is an approach supported by the chair of the BMA's Scottish GP Committee, who share our vision for the future of primary care.''

• Local News