GPs’ morale deteriorating while NHS is struggling to maintain quality of care
REPORT BACKS RECORD PROBE INTO NHS CRISIS out of out-of-hours
SCOTLAND’S NHS is struggling to maintain a high quality of care, according to a damning report by Audit Scotland.
The report backs up the Daily Record’s summer investigation into failing standards, which showed at least seven targeted areas have seen a marked deterioration – including cancer waiting times.
Today’s report confirms more people are waiting longer to be seen and most national targets were not met.
The Audit Scotland Report also highlights the pressures on general practice, including recruiting and retaining GPs and low morale.
The Record has repeatedly highlighted the GP crisis. Earlier this year, we told how 42 practices had been returned to health board control because of staffing shortages.
The report said: “The number of GP practices has fallen by three per cent in five years to 963, which means the average practice list size has increased to 5881. However, there has not been a corresponding increase in GPs.
“Due to recruitment difficulties and other issues such as retiring partners, locum costs and premises issues, an increasing number of GP practices were taken over by their NHS board in 2016/17 compared to previous years.
“Morale is deteriorating. A survey of GPs in Scotland in December found 70 per cent experienced significant work-related stress and 15 per cent felt the stress was unmanageable.”
The report said while reform of the NHS was progressing, fundamentals still needed to be addressed and “a number of crucial building blocks still need to be put in place”.
While overall patient satisfaction is high, there were “increasing costs and growing demand for services, amid signs that the NHS is struggling to maintain the quality of care”.
Audit Scotland were also critical of the fact Scotland’s health is not improving and “significant inequalities remain”. The report said: “People living in areas of deprivation are still much more likely to be in poorer health.
“The gap is not closing and in some measures is widening. People living in
in-fighting we all lose
Gardner, Auditor General for Scotland, said: “The NHS in Scotland marks its 70th anniversary next year, and there is widespread agreement that healthcare must be delivered differently if it is to withstand growing pressure.
“Fundamental areas must be addressed if reform is to deliver the scale of transformation needed.”
Scottish Labour health spokesman Anas Sarwar said: “Audit Scotland reveal the health budget is falling in real terms and health boards are having to make unsustainable savings, while private spending on agency nurses and locum doctors has spiralled.
“Nicola Sturgeon needs to show she recognises the problems that have built up on her watch and remove Shona Robison from the health brief.”
Scottish Lib Dem health spokesman Alex Cole-Hamilton said: “Health professionals have been asked to do more with shrinking resources for too long and the reliance on their goodwill to keep services going can’t continue.”
BMA Scotland chairman Dr Peter Bennie added: “Demands on the NHS are increasing rapidly every year and sufficient resources are simply not being made available.”
Health Secretary Robison said: “We are committed to ensuring patient experience is at the forefront of our NHS. Ultimately, our work across Government will ensure the people of Scotland can continue to look forward to a healthier future.”