GP contracts face backlash
The Scottish Government’s GP contract reforms are suffering from “deep-seated problems”, a member of BMA Scotland has said.
Dr Andrew Buist, chair of the union’s Scottish GP committee, has criticised the contract that was introduced in April 2018. The plans aimed to reduce the workload of family doctors. It also involves a minimum salary guarantee of £70,000 per year for full-time doctors that will come into effect this month.
Dr Buist said: “As we mark the one-year anniversary of the Scottish GP contract it is worth reflecting on the huge challenges that faced us when we signed the contract. Of course, these deep-seated problems – such as there simply not being enough GPs – were never going to be solved in a single year.
“Over the last 12 months, I have seen a mixed picture across Scotland and varied progress. There is much work to be done, so we need to see an increased pace of change.
“This needs the Scottish Government to continue to play its part to the full and deliver on our shared commitments – and to ensure health boards do the same.”
The GP contract planned to refocus the role of family doctors as “expert medical generalists”. It would also lead to more nurses, physiotherapists and pharmacists being based in general practices so that patients could have more time with medical practitioners.
Dr Buist discussed how he wants the GP contract reforms to progress.
He said: “We still have two years to deliver on this phase of the contract.
“I want to see the numbers of GPs start to rise again, with reduced vacancies, young doctors choosing to become GP partners in Scotland and older GPs who were thinking about retirement to decide they might keep going for a few more years.
“We have two more years of implementation, we all need to make the most of them.”
The contract, funded with £100 million by the Scottish government in its first year, was popular when it was introduced in January 2018. A poll revealed that 71.5% of doctors involved supported the scheme.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We have a record number of GPs working in Scotland and are working to further increase the current numbers by at least 800 in the next 10 years.
“We are investing a further £7.5 million in Scotland in 2018/19 in GP recruitment and retention. By the end of this parliament, we will have invested an additional £500 million per year in Primary Care – £250 million of which will be in direct support of general practice.
