Doctor backs local MSP over loan scheme axe
A Helensburgh doctor is backing local MSP Jackie Baillie after she raised concern over funding provided to the country’s GPs.
Ms Baillie revealed that loan funding designed to ease pressures has been pulled by the Scottish Government and with the support of a local GP has warned that the move will deepen the crisis facing the sector.
The government’s GP Sustainability Loan Scheme was introduced to help tackle the recruitment crisis in the profession by easing the financial burden linked to owning a practice.
The loan helps reduce the risk of premises ownership and prevent GPs having to provide their own premises to deliver primary medical care.
But it has now been confirmed that availability of the scheme to new entrants has been suspended until further notice.
Dr Brian McLachlan, of Dr McLachlan and Partners in Helensburgh, said: “The loss of the premises sustainability loan creates additional pressure on
the recruitment of new GPs as partners to GP practices who own their own premises.
“It was a key plank and visionary part of the 2018 GP contract, and the Scottish Government promoted it by stating it would improve sustainability and recruitment.
“Suspending this can have no effect other than damaging the sustainability and recruitment of new GPs.”
No indication has been offered of when applications will resume or when further rounds of funding will be available.
Ms Baillie said: “GPs across Scotland are already at breaking point, and now they have had the rug pulled from under them by the SNP.
“The SNP is tearing up its commitments to General Practice and undermining the GP contract that they negotiated.
“This damaging move will fan the flames of the GP crisis and make recruitment more difficult.
“General practice is a crucial front door to our NHS and the SNP must support over-stretched GPs and deliver on its promises.
“These loans must be delivered along with a real plan to deliver the 800 extra GPs the SNP promised.”
The scheme was a key part of the 2018 GP Contract agreement, which narrowly passed in the Scottish Parliament.
Research in the sector shows that GPs increasingly do not want to own their premises.
The GP sustainability loan funds up to 20 per cent of the Existing Use Value of the premises and aims to shore up the destabilising effects the retirement of a partner may have, as well as reducing the up-front cost for a new partner joining the practice.
Health secretary Neil Gray said: “GPs are essential to the delivery of high quality, sustainable general practice services and we are fully committed to increasing the number of GPs in Scotland by 800 by 2027.
“We have expanded GP speciality training and as a result, there are currently, just over 1,200 trainee GPs in Scotland.
“We also invest over £1m per annum in a range of recruitment and retention initiatives so that becoming a GP remains an attractive career choice.
“We are committed to processing GP Sustainability Loans already completed. However, given significant UK Government reductions to the funding stream for this scheme, we are currently considering how further loans can be funded in future years and plan to issue a further communication on this.”