Most trainee GP posts remain unfilled

● Only 37 of 100 training posts have been filled after recruitment drive

Only 37 doctors have taken up GP training posts despite a major drive by the Scottish Government to recruit 100 new family doctors.

Despite offers of a £20,000 “golden handshake” for jobs in remote and rural areas, only 15 of the 37 bursary posts have been filled, figures suggest.

Overall, only 37 posts have been filled in total.

The Scottish Government advertised the extra positions in August amid growing concerns about staffing shortages in general practice, taking the total number of GP specialist training posts advertised this year to 439 following a recruitment round earlier in the year.

Alex Cole-hamilton, Liberal Democrat health spokesman, accused the Scottish Government of “breathtaking complacency”.

0 Extra GP training positions were advertised in August by the Scottish Government

He said: “I have had constituents come to me with prescriptionsfromtheirgpswithnotes addedexpressingtheprofound distress that particular prac- tice was in and asking them to highlight the challenges facing primary care with their MSP.

“We are set to be hundreds of GPS short by 2020. If this does not constitute a crisis, it is hard to know what does.”

Dr Miles Mack, chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Scotland, said the recent announcement from First Minister Nicola Sturgeon that 11 per cent of NHS spending will go to primary care “should have a very positive impact” on GP recruitment.

He said: “Trainees and medical students will now be able to see a valued profession with a vibrant future, promoted by Scottish Government and celebrated for its vital role within each and every Scottish community.

“We have been campaigning for this move since 2013, with 71 per cent of the Scottish public supporting us, and we will be keen to ensure the funding is appropriately spent and ongoing.”

Health Secretary Shona Robison said the number of trainee GPS had risen by 15 per cent on last year and more than 90 per cent of posts had been filled.

She added: “We are committed to increasing GP numbers as we transform our local health services to better-meet the needs of communities across Scotland.

“NHS Education Scotland runs several recruitment rounds a year and the next round of recruitment will begin very shortly.”