Claim rural surgeries are ‘facing extinction’

SURGERIES in remote parts of Tayside and Fife are “facing extinction” because of a new GP contract that slashes their funding, according to rural doctors.

A majority of the Rural GP Association of Scotland’s membership say their practices would be “critically unviable” under plans to reduce their funding by up to two thirds.

RGPAS chairman David Hogg said rural areas will be affected by a funding formula tilted in favour of urban practices.

He said: “While we’re delighted some of our city-based GP colleagues will see a much-needed boost to their resources, it is very wrong that this should be at the expense of rural general practice.

“Rural GP teams provide a much wider range of services, as we offer many treatments that would normally be provided in hospital. Much of this work is unfunded.”

Dr Hogg said the deal left practices “facing extinction” and would compound the recruitment crisis already hampering family practices.

Dr Alan McDevitt, chairman of the British Medical Association in Scotland’s GP committee, dismissed the claims, saying that no rural practices would lose funding.

He said: “It is completely untrue to suggest that any practice in Scotland will see a reduction in funding and extremely disappointing that this misinformation is being circulated.”