National GP shortage ongoing since 2013

There is a national shortage of 856 GPs, says the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) in Scotland.

Dr Miles Mack, from RCGP, said the “worsening crisis” in general practice will deepen if the Scottish Government does not ensure the vital service gets at least 11% of the NHS Scotland budget.

“No GP wants their patients to feel they must stand outside the surgery from 7am, already feeling unwell and with the winter approaching,” he said.

“GPs have been calling for positive action to end this crisis since 2013.

“Unfortunately, consistent cuts to the funding available to pay for the service, made over a decade, have exacerbated the situation and left practices struggling to cope.”

A spokeswoman for NHS Tayside said: “All boards across Scotland are facing a current national shortage of GPs and NHS Tayside is no exception.

“However, we are taking steps to recruit and retain GPs and look at different ways of delivering care out in our communities.”

Health Secretary Shona Robison said they will have invested £250 million in general practice by 2021.

“In this financial year, over £71m of that funding is supporting general practice by improving recruitment and retention, reducing workload and developing new ways of delivering services,” she added.