Rural NHS crisis

We are sailing into a sea of unknown cuts as regards GP funding in Scotland, and in particular the North East, under the new Snp-driven GP contracts.

We can clearly see that rural GP funding is being reduced whilst larger town-based surgeries, in most cases, are seeing increases. It really beggars belief as to how new GPS are to be attracted into current vacancies when rural provision is being systematically reduced, in some cases by up to 50 per cent. This makes no sense at all.

Clearly I am concerned from a local aspect, as a 10 per cent reduction could have a huge impact on the future services Crimond practice could provide. Cryogenic services have already been pulled as a result of funding cuts, which means patients will now go on a waiting list at another facility for simple wart removal.

I understand that the Scottish Government used Deloitte to produce the formula for future funding; I do wonder what the actual criteria and strategy is, as what has been produced appears to be lacking in substantive local understanding and is totally inadequate. We have been advised that none of the surgeries will actually be losing funding at this point, however, their allocation from the formula is reducing going forward! This is sending ripples of concern and uncertainty through the rural GP surgeries within Aberdeenshire and beyond.

We are again seeing a direct attempt to reduce rural GP provision under the SNP and I think Shona Robison needs to step up and explain why this is acceptable, as clearly it is not!

CONRAD RITCHIE Chairman, Crimond Charitable Trust, Crimond Medical Centre

Logie Avenue East, Crimond