Burden of welfare checks may fall on crisis-hit GPs
Hard-pressed doctors warn SNP they can’t cope with extra work
DOCTORS have attacked Scottish Government plans that could make GPs responsible for disability and ill health checks, under new welfare powers.
They have warned that general practices cannot cope with more work and the NHS will suffer as a result.
Huge swathes of powers over welfare are being devolved to Scotland, and Social Security Secretary Angela Constance has launched a consultation on how they should be used. She has indicated that health professionals should be responsible for assessing the health of claimants – unlike the UK Government, which has used private companies.
Scotland is in the grip of a GP crisis, with a third aged 50 or over and approaching retirement, while practices struggle to fill vacancies.
Dr Alan McDevitt, chairman of BMA Scotland’s GP committee, said: ‘General practice is under enormous pressure as increasing demands and severe problems in recruitment and retention are increasing the workload of GPs well beyond sustainable levels.
‘It is hugely important that the future social security system for Scotland does not further increase the workload pressures that GPs are already facing. GPs simply do not have the spare capacity to take on significant additional work without the risk of further undermining general practice.’
SNP politicians have been critical of Atos, the private company which until last year carried out work capability assessments for the UK Government. While these will continue to be the responsibility of the Department for Work and Pensions, several disability-related assessments are coming to Scotland and these checks will need to be carried out north of the Border.
Asked last week who would carry these out, Miss Constance said: ‘We would have a great reticence about folk who are motivated by making profit being involved in the social security system.’ The checks would involve ‘medical evidence sometimes from a GP, but sometimes from a clinical consultant’.
Asked about the NHS being stretched already, and the GP crisis, she said: ‘That’s a conversation we need to have.’
Scottish Tory health spokesman Donald Cameron said: ‘They [GPs] are under enough pressure already, without the added task of helping with benefits assessments.
‘Asking them to carry out further work will only risk the invaluable service they provide to patients.
‘Moves like this just go to highlight how out of touch the SNP are with the workloads that our family doctors are having to deal with.’
Anas Sarwar, Scottish Labour health spokesman, said: ‘If Angela Constance wants GPs to play a bigger role in the social security system then the SNP Government must provide the resources to make that possible.
‘Under the SNP we are facing a GP crisis that is only going to get worse because of government cuts to local NHS services. Adding to the burden of family doctors without providing extra funding would be unacceptable.’
Alex Cole-Hamilton, Scottish Lib Dem health spokesman, said: ‘GPs are under enormous pressure and the SNP have been warned repeatedly that workload levels are simply not sustainable. If the Government expects GPs to take on more work they need to provide resources to ensure this does not impact on the care available to other patients.’
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘The Government wants to build a fairer social security system that treats people with dignity and respect. Scotland’s first social security Bill will be brought to parliament before the end of the first year of this session, and evidence gathered during this consultation, which is ongoing, will inform the development of the Bill.’
Comment – Page 14
‘Workload is not sustainable’