The Royal College of GPs in Scotland is urging the Scottish government to recognise that general practice is the ‘cornerstone of our NHS’ and to ensure services are ‘safeguarded and protected’ for the next 75 years.

The body representing around 5,000 GPs across Scotland says the country ‘simply needs more GPs’, as it calls for the government to deliver the change needed to maintain the NHS.

Dr David Shackles, Joint Chair of the Royal College of GPs (RCGP) Scotland, says GPs are the “guardians of the NHS” and are crucial to the smooth running of the whole service:

“For 75 years general practice has been the first place that most people have turned to when they need help. We are the guardians of the NHS - if general practice falters, so does the whole health service.

“General practice faces some significant challenges, but it stands true most GPs love their work, and only ask for the workload and workforce solutions to enable us to continue to provide empowering, person-centred care over the lifespan.”

The Royal College of GPs (RCGP) Scotland highlighted that people across Scotland have benefited from general practice free at the point of care since the inception of the NHS, stating:

‘GPs have been the cornerstone of our NHS, and today are integral to a vision of a healthier, more equitable Scotland.

‘GPs have always embraced the need to look to the future, evolving as a profession to meet the needs of a growing population, delivering more complex treatments and interventions, adopting new technologies that have revolutionised care, and working in expanded multi-disciplinary teams to enhance patient care.’

Workforce crisis

However, the body is calling for more support to increase the recruitment and retention of GPs It says that addressing the workforce crisis is key to enabling each GP to take a person-centred approach to patient care.

Most recent figures show the estimated number of whole-time equivalent GPs has fallen by 3% since 2019.

The Scottish government has committed to increase the number of GPs in Scotland by 800 by 2027 – though the RCGP has since warned that this will not be enough to plug the workforce gap.

RCGP Scotland says it continues to work with the Scottish government to improve recruitment of students into general practice to bolster the workforce and to retain GPs across Scotland.

All 268 GP trainee posts advertised in Scotland by June last year were filled.

Yet, GPs continue to report that they are struggling to maintain the capacity needed thrive and meet patient needs.

RCGP Scotland says simple changes that bring the most benefit to patients must include time for GPs to considers preventative care, mental health support and community engagement.

Figures from its annual tracking survey for 2023 reveal that 89% of GP respondents would like to have the flexibility to plan longer consultations with patients when needed.

Last month, attendees at the inaugural community links worker network conference heard from Lorna Kelly, the National Strategic Lead for Primary Care in Health and Social Care Scotland, who highlighted the vital role of primary care in tackling health inequalities.

Ms Kelly added that wider investment is needed in communities and training of multi-disciplinary teams to effectively address inequalities and the Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing said the government is committed to “sustained investment” in GPs through its Primary Care Fund.

Yet, RCGP Scotland highlights that the ‘sustained pressure’ GPs are working under, alongside the feeling of ‘firefighting’ in their daily work is putting ambitions for improved patient care at risk.

Additionally, the body says that when GPs burnout, ‘the time and energy to have careful conversations can fall by the wayside’.

Only 39% of GPs responding to RCGP Scotland’s tracking survey saying that they felt they had enough time in appointments to build relationships as part of delivering quality care.

RCGP Scotland says it is important that we do not ‘underestimate the impact this change has on retention and recruitment ambitions’ as it issued a call for general practice to be safeguarded.

The 2023 tracking survey also revealed that 61% of GP respondents felt their mental wellbeing has declined while working in the role as a GP over the past 12 months, with RCGP Scotland stating:

‘The future of general practice in the NHS holds immense potential for improvement and innovation. It is clear from 75 years of the NHS that if we are to maintain a universal, free at the point of use, sustainable service, then general practice has to be safeguarded and developed.’

 

Read more: Junior doctor strikes on pause; Auditor General: Difficult choices for Scotland's NHS; RCN: Staff need to see light at the end of the tunnel; Emails show haste to publish recovery plan; Inquiry launched for rural healthcare

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