An Aberdeen doctor today welcomed increased funding announced by First Minister John Swinney to make it easier for patients to see their GP but admitted family doctors are under “unprecedented pressure”.
Dr Chris Provan, Scotland Chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said GPs would be “encouraged” by the first minister’s speech on renewing Scotland’s NHS.
Speaking in Edinburgh on Monday, Mr Swinney laid out an improvement plan, admitting there were “crises” facing parts of the ailing health service.
The first minister announced plans to provide 150,000 more appointment and procedures, as well as a £10.5 million increase in funding for GPs and a pledge to give more funding to primary care in the future.
He also announced the creation of “frailty teams” to be at every A&E in the country to help those who could “bypass” emergency departments and free up capacity.
‘Unprecedented levels of pressure’
Dr Provan, who is a GP at Elmbank Medical Practice in Aberdeen, said: “I think GPs across Scotland will be encouraged by the first minister’s words today.
“GPs and their teams are under unprecedented levels of pressure due to the workload of caring for a rising and ageing population and a declining workforce.
“Alongside investment, the other critical pillar to seeing more care in the community will be restabilising and bolstering the workforce.”
He said that as chair of RCGP Scotland, he looks forward to seeing more details on this shift in new NHS funding will be delivered in the coming weeks.
Dr Provan, who has been an Aberdeen GP for more than 30 years, previously told the P&J too many GPs are exiting general practice because of “unsustainable” workloads.
He said the high workload was pushing older doctors into retirement and recent graduates off to countries such as Canada and Australia for less punishing conditions.
The Scottish Government has made a series of commitments to tackle NHS backlogs since the Covid pandemic.
But targets have been missed, with NHS waiting lists and delayed discharge figures hitting record highs.
‘Still lack the detail’
Senior Inverness GP Dr Iain Kennedy, who is chair of the British Medical Association in Scotland, called for more detail on the outline plans set out today.
“At this stage, we still lack the detail and comprehensive vision needed to make any plan a reality”, he added.
He said delivering more funding directly for GPs must be done on the basis of a “full plan that does not simply remove funding from and risk destabilising hospital care, which is facing massive challenges”.
Last month, Audit Scotland warned there must be a clear plan for fix Scotland’s NHS.
The north-east region was among the worst performers listed in a report by the public spending watchdog due to its failure to meet crucial A&E and cancer waiting time targets.
It follows health board warnings that Grampian is short-changed and does not have enough beds to meet demand.
As part of the plans to reduce waiting lists, Mr Swinney suggested turning some facilities, including Stracathro Hospital in Brechin, into “centres of excellence” in certain procedures such as cataracts or orthopaedics.
Scottish Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: “Scotland’s NHS is in permanent crisis mode on John Swinney’s watch and nothing in his speech will change that.”
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