GP shortage to be raised by MSP

Fife’s GP crisis will be raised in the Scottish Parliament today.

Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Claire Baker will ask health secretary Shona Robison what support the Scottish Government is offering to struggling practices in the region.

The question follows a series of stories about local GP shortages and problems such as the closure of a surgery in Kirkcaldy, with more than 1,600 patients dispersed to new practices, despite NHS Fife trying to run the service with locum GPs.

The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) has estimated there will be a shortfall of 856 GPs in Scotland by 2021.

Speaking ahead of the question, Mrs Baker said: “Fife has been facing a growing GP crisis for some time and as RCGP highlighted, it is expected to get worse not better in the years ahead.

“Patients deserve to be seen quickly by their regular GP and without being ferried from practice to practice.”

She added: “While NHS Fife does a good job filling holes and nobody is doubting the care of locum GPs, this is no substitute for a stable GP practice.

“That is why we need to see a genuine guarantee from the Scottish Government to support struggling GP services throughout Fife.

“I’ll be raising this issue directly with the health secretary. We need to see a commitment from the Government to ensure GPs get the support that they deserve.”