The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Plans to recruit 800 extra GPs in next decade
Ministers announce multi-millionpound scheme with a focus on rural areas
Plans to recruit an extra 800 GPs over the next decade to secure a “sustainable service for the future” have been announced by the Scottish Government.
Health Secretary Shona Robison also announced £7.5 million in 2018-19 to recruit and retain GPs, particularly in rural areas.
Support will be available for all 160 rural and remote practices, including “golden hello” payments of £10,000 to GPs taking up their first post in a rural practice and relocation packages of up to £5,000.
There are currently about 4,900 GPs in Scotland.
Speaking at a special British Medical Association (BMA) conference in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, Ms Robison said: “GPs are an integral and crucial part of our health service.
“The new GP contract, a historic joint agreement between the Scottish Government and the BMA, will ensure GPs are able to spend more time with patients and less time on bureaucracy.
“If accepted, it will help cut doctors’ overall workload and make general practice an even more attractive career prospect.
“However, we want to go further. As multi-disciplinary teams are developed further within GP practices, our ambition is to increase the number of GPs by at least 800 over 10 years to ensure a sustainable service for the future.
“GP recruitment concerns are not unique to Scotland, however our commitment to invest £7.5m, including expanding the remote and rural incentive scheme and relocation funds, should have a real impact going forward.
“Ultimately, this will ensure people across Scotland continue to receive a high standard of care whether they’re in Newtonmore or Newton Mearns, and that those who need to see GPs are given the time they need.”
Details on how GPs will be recruited will be in the Scottish Government’s primary care workforce plan.
Dr Alan McDevitt, chairman of BMA Scotland’s GP Committee, said: “Working towards delivering 800 additional GPs for Scotland is a sensible and realistic target for the years ahead, and I look forward to the coming primary care workforce plan that will show how this is to be achieved.
“Together with the wider measures in the proposed contract to make general practice a more attractive career, I believe this can have a significant impact on improving GP recruitment and retention.”
Other measures announced include £100m in funding next year to support implementation of the new proposed GP contract, agreed jointly with the BMA, which is now to be voted on by GPs.