Call to support GP practices

Patients in Scotland are being urged to back their local GP practices in a hard-hitting campaign launched by the BMA.

The Stand with your Surgery initiative includes a set of posters for GP practices explaining to patients why they may be struggling to get the services they need – and asking for their support.

BMA Scottish GPs committee chair Iain Morrison warned general practice is facing a funding gap and that the future of the NHS in Scotland was at risk.

He also said the BMA had warned the Scottish Government it is on the path to ‘formal dispute’ if the direction of travel doesn’t change.

The campaign was launched as BMA Scotland revealed the funding practices receive for every patient has been eroded year after year against inflation since 2008. In all, eroded funding streams and new cost pressures have created a shortfall in practice funding of 22.8 per cent. 

BMA Scotland said £290m was needed to deliver full funding restoration to stabilise general practice and then grow the GP workforce to improve access and services for patients.

‘Practices simply do not have the resources required to employ all the staff they need – and in particular GPs – at a time when demand is going up at a rapid rate,’ Dr Morrison said. ‘We know access to GPs is undeniably a real issue and patients can struggle to get an appointment at their surgery in a timely manner.’

He said GPs share patients’ frustration. ‘We want to be able to deliver a service that we are proud of, rather than constantly apologising for. This can only be achieved if urgent action is taken to address a £290m funding gap – around 1 per cent of the Scottish NHS budget.

‘Unless this is delivered it will leave general practice at risk of failing. We provide 90 per cent of patient contact and, without general practice, the NHS simply cannot survive.’

Dr Morrison said there was a ‘desperate’ need for more GPs – and pointed out there was only one GP in Scotland for every 1,735 people, when there used to be one per 1,515 people.

‘We need to be far more ambitious and work towards a commitment of one whole time equivalent GP for every 1000 people, which would allow us to deliver far more in terms of preventive health and a more individualised health experience. There is huge potential for a revolution in how we can approach healthcare in Scotland by getting everyone to live the healthiest life they can – but this can only be realised if GPs are given the necessary resources and support.’

Dr Morrison said BMA Scotland continues to press the Scottish Government to address the years of underfunding for general practice but warned time is running out.

‘If the Government does not act, then we really do risk the end of general practice in Scotland as we know it and we cannot allow that to happen. We have put the Scottish Government on notice that the current direction of travel is leading us towards formal dispute, which the profession has told us is ultimately something they are prepared to do, if it is needed, to save general practice, and properly support the patients we care for in communities up and down Scotland.

‘This would be a very last resort and we want to work at pace with Government and do all we can to avoid going down that path. The rhetoric for the Government on this suggests it is listening, but action is now required.’

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'GPs play a vital role in our health service, and we value the care that they provide to patients at a challenging time for the healthcare system. We have increased investment in general practice by £73.2m in the last financial year and are determined to increase the number of GPs in Scotland by 800, by 2027, with an additional 307 GPs added since 2017.

'Our renewed plan for the NHS will ensure that a greater proportion of new funding goes to primary and community care, which will assist in supporting both GPs and also helping people to access GP services.'