Decisions on what level of face-to-face GP appointments to provide should be left to each individual general practice to decide, the Scottish health secretary has said.

Humza Yousaf and Dr Andrew Buist of BMA Scotland have issued a statement saying setting arbitrary targets would be “totally inappropriate”.

Instead a mix of face-to-face, telephone and video consultations will continue, with the type of meeting depending on patient choice, practice capacity and clinical judgement.

Yesterday’s joint statement represents a contrast to previous Scottish government statements, as well as comments from England’s health secretary, Sajid Javid, who said last month: “Life is starting to return almost back to completely normal…more GPs should be offering face-to-face access.”

When the Scottish government published its NHS Recovery plan in August its news release began by stating: “A key aim in primary care is to restore face-to-face GP consultations as quickly and safely as possible, while ensuring everyone can continue to make use of eHealth services like NHS Near Me, if that is their preference.”

This pledge angered some family doctors who said they were continuing to provide face-to-face appointments where appropriate, despite working flat out under immense pressure.

The health secretary appeared to return to the language of increasing face to face appointment hours after the statement was published when he announced a winter plan for the NHS and social care.

Humza Yousaf told the Scottish parliament: “In the context of measures and funding being announced today, I would expect to see an increase in GP face to face appointments”.

At the start of the pandemic GPs were asked to triage all patients by telephone and only offer in person appointments where clinically necessary.

The joint statement from Humza Yousaf and the BMA to general practices says a “hybrid model” of appointments should continue:

“Any suggestion that GPs have not been seeing people face-to-face because they do not want to is false and dangerous. We absolutely reject this and condemn the increasing abuse that has been directed towards General Practice staff at what already is a difficult time for all health and social care workers. This is completely unacceptable.

“It is ultimately up to each individual General Practice and their team to determine how care is delivered in your local community in a clinically safe way that you believe is best for your patients, and retain flexibility of access – be it in-person or remotely.”

It adds: “We are both clear that introducing any arbitrary targets of face-to-face appointments that may be unobtainable and may not meet the diverse needs of your patients would be totally inappropriate.”

Read more: Virtual appointments hit half a million milestone; GP practice enquiries diverted to call centre; Joint warning over GP contract progress

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