Record number of GP practices to return to NHS

● Medics raise concerns over patient care and value for money

A record number of Scottish GP practices returned contracts to health boards last year.

The Royal College of GPS (RCGP) said 2016 saw 52 practices given “2C” status, prompting concerns over patient care and lost value for money.

A 2C practice is one which has returned its contract to the health board, feeling unable to meet its obligations, RCGP said. The practice is then run by a local NHS Board.

More than 160,000 patients across the country were registered in 2C practices last year, up from 83,290 a decade ago.

RCGP Scotland said it removed GPS from leadership roles and reduced continuity of care for patients.

Dr Miles Mack, chair of RCGP Scotland and a GP in

0 Fears have been raised over a shortfall of 856 GPS across Scotland by 2021 Dingwall, said: “Right across Scotland, GP practices are being forced to close their doors or hand their contracts back to health boards.

“RCGP is particularly concerned over the impact that changing to 2C has on patient care and on lost value for money in healthcare services.

“In particular, it means that GPS are no longer in a leadership role and there is less continuity of care for patients.”

He added: “Patients’ GP services have been the target of disinvestment for over a decade, falling from 9.8 per cent of NHS Scotland’s spending in 2005/06 to just 7.2 per cent in 2015/16, the last year we have figures for.

“Sufficient action must be taken to fill the projected shortfall of 856 GPS across Scotland by 2021.

“To fund that appropriately we need 11 per cent of NHS Scotland’s budget to go to general practice services.

“The Scottish Government’s own Govan SHIP project has shown how much patients can benefit through such measures.”

Scottish Conservative shadow health secretary Miles Briggs called the figures “depressing” while Labour’s health spokesman Anas Sarwar branded them “deeply concerning”.

Health Secretary Shona Robison said: “NHS staffing has risen to an all-time high level, increasing by more than 9 per cent under this government, with around 12,000 more health service workers as a result.

“wwthere are a variety of reasons why boards would take over the running of a GP practice. Boards have historically either had involvement in the running of, or provided some degree of support to practices, as part of their responsibility to ensure that everyone in Scotland has access to GP services.

“We’re committed to investing a further £500 million in primary care by the end of this parliament, with £250 million of this in direct support of GPS.”