Alaskan scheme is no solution

I READ with disbelief the article on the supposed “Alaskan solution” to the problem of GPs in primary healthcare (Radical Alaskan health plan piloted to save Scottish NHS, News, March 19). This scheme provides no more than primitive healthcare as an adjunct to the deficient privatised American system. In Britain, the intention of the NHS was for GPs to provide professional primary healthcare of the highest quality from “cradle to grave”, acting as family doctors throughout, with emphasis on continuity of care and thorough knowledge of the patient.

It is obvious to everyone, except apparently the Health Minister, that the root of the problem of GPs in Scotland is the 2004 contract which allowed practices to abandon continuity of care by opting out of outof-hours cover. This has been a disaster. It is high time Shona Robison tackled the BMA and restored the former 24/7 contract. If third-world Cuba can provide GPs for continuity of care, so can supposedly first-world Scotland. But this requires political will and the guts to challenge the BMA. I doubt the Scottish Government has enough of either to do this.

Marilyn Murray Edinburgh