NHS Tayside ‘begs’ Fife board for GPs

HEALTH: MSP demands Government action over staffing crisis

The Scottish Government has been urged to act on GP staffing after NHS Tayside was forced to go “begging” NHS Fife for cover.

North East Fife MSP Willie Rennie said he was “astonished” to learn the Tayside health board’s chief executive had resorted to formally asking colleagues in Highland, Grampian and Fife to provide staff for Brechin Health Centre.

The Lib Dem leader said the move was symptomatic of a GP crisis engulfing Scotland and called for the Scottish Government to find a solution.

NHS correspondence seen by The Courier showed Brechin only had one GP to cover a population of 9,000 at some points last month.

Health secretary Shona Robison said the Scottish Government has allocated £20 million nationally “to ease some of the immediate challenges facing the workforce”.

NHS Tayside went cap in hand to NHS Fife as it experienced a “critical” GP shortage in an Angus town.

Health board chief executive Lesley McLay told colleagues in Highland, Grampian and Fife regions she would be “really grateful” if their doctors could cover shifts at Brechin Health Centre.

The move has been branded “astonishing” by Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie who said NHS Tayside had resorted to “begging” their neighbours to bail them out.

The Courier has seen an email revealing that Brechin only had one GP to cover a population of 9,000 as it hit rock bottom last month.

The board said numbers are “improving as we move into August” but politicians have called for the Scottish Government to defuse a “ticking time- bomb” with a third of GPs set to retire within the next five years.

Mr Rennie said: “Solving the Brechin problem only creates a problem some place else. We need a solution for the whole of Scotland.”

Fife Labour MSP Alex Rowley added: “The bottom line is there is a GP crisis across Scotland. And many health boards, including Fife, are struggling.

“While it would be great to help other areas, we have not got enough GPs to cover our own practices across Fife.

“NHS Fife, to their credit, have been trying. But the failing here is the failing of the Scottish Government.”

NHS Tayside took over Brechin Health Centre in October and closed the GP ward at the town’s infirmary to beef-up doctor cover. The practice has ended its open access model and all calls in are now “triaged” – assessed by phone before appointments are made.

NHS Tayside medical director Andrew Russell said the board had already investigated moving staff within Tayside and the practice has been “working tirelessly” to secure cover.

“We have also been asking other board areas if they have any additional GP capacity,” he said.

“Requesting support from neighbouring NHS boards is no different to other circumstances where we would invoke our well-established mutual aid arrangements.

“I am pleased to say that medical staffing levels at the practice are improving as we move into August.

“However, we know we are dealing with a changeable position and we will continue to support the practice in providing GP cover during this challenging time.”

Health Secretary Shona Robison said the Scottish Government is “aware of the temporary arrangements” in Brechin, has allocated £20 million nationally “to ease some of the immediate challenges facing the workforce” over the next year, and is also working on GP contracts for 2017.

Solving the Brechin problem only creates a problem some place else. We need a solution for the whole of Scotland. MSP WILLIE RENNIE