A shocking report has laid bare the scale of the GP crisis in the north-east.
Damning results from the NHS Scotland review chronicle the struggles of the region’s sick to get an appointment with a doctor.
The Health and Care Experience Survey reports that patients who attend surgeries in Fraserburgh, Mintlaw, Banff and Peterhead rate their experience of arranging to see a doctor significantly lower than those elsewhere in Scotland.
Last night, Scottish Conservative North East MSP Peter Chapman said the results were “not acceptable” and demanded cross-party action to resolve the situation.
And he warned that a “retirement time-bomb” could see the crisis deepen as GP’s leave their roles and are not replaced.
Health Secretary Shona Robison said the number of GPs in NHS Grampian had increased by 10% under her government.
According to the survey, the Finlayson Street Surgery in Fraserburgh has a rating 49% below the Scottish average, while the Mintlaw practice is 42% below.
Deveron Medical Practice in Banff was 27% below average, while at Peterhead Health Centre is was 25%.
The local surgeries fare just as badly in terms of how “overall care” is rated, with Mintlaw at 19% below the national average and Finlayson Street 27% below.
Mr Chapman said: “These figures … appear to show that the service being provided to people in the Banff and Buchan area is well below the standards experienced elsewhere in the country.
“There are clearly major issues in terms of GP provision that will only get worse as the workforce ages further and more doctors retire from practice.
“The Scottish Government has known about this retirement time-bomb for some time, with as many as one third of GPs expected to retire in the next five years. There can be no excuse for any lack of forward planning.”
A recent British Medical Association study showed a quarter of all GP surgeries have vacancies, while a third of family doctors intend to retire by 2020.
The results of the survey are worse than the previous year and follow a string of reports about a decline in GP provision in the Banff and Buchan area.
Last night John Brownlee, chairman of the Peterhead Community Council, said his group has raised the issue with the local health centre.
“There is a concern about a number of elements,” he said.
“On the one hand I’m not surprised by the figures, but personally I’ve never had a problem with the hospital. There are a lot of others who have though and we’re just one family.”
As a member of the local community council, Banffshire resident Ron Beaty campaigned for the NHS to reopen the Gardenstown surgery after it closed due to lack of staff.
He said: “It’s a concern I share. At present, someone who doesn’t have transport would need to get an appointment within our limited bus service.
“Our Gardenstown surgery is closed and if folk don’t have transport it’s not easy. People don’t always want to ask friends.
“It’s not ideal. For some unknown reason it is hard to get doctors, nurses and teachers to this area.”
Ms Robison said the number of GPs in the north-east was increasing under her administration, as well as their commitment to create 100 more GP training posts.
She added: “We have committed to increasing, in every year of this parliament, the share of the NHS budget dedicated to primary care.
“In Scotland we are transforming primary care, supported by £85million of extra investment to put in place long-term, sustainable change within GP services that can better meet changing needs and demands.”