A new report from general practice leaders calls on the Scottish government to deliver a series of digital infrastructure improvements across primary care to benefit both patients and GPs.

A new paper, ‘A Digital Foundation for General Practice’, launched today by the Royal College of General Practice (RCGP) Scotland reports IT systems are ‘slow, unreliable and not fit for modern healthcare delivery’.

Half of GP respondents to RCGP Scotland’s survey said their laptop or PC software was not fit for purpose, while similar numbers reported their practice Wi-Fi speed didn’t meet their needs.

RCGP Scotland says with funding and clear guidance, GPs, pharmacy and secondary care teams could undertake an e-prescribing and dispensing programme which would improve patient safety and experience, and reducing the environmental impact of healthcare.

Its paper urges the Scottish government to significantly increase investment in general practice digital infrastructure and IT systems, including digital prescribing.

The RCGP Scotland Vice Chair, Dr Chris Williams, says the government has an opportunity to make a real difference, not just for primary care teams but the patients they see:

“Scottish GPs are being held back by poor and outdated IT infrastructure, which is having a direct impact on both patient care and efficiency.

“Improving the ability of GPs to access integrated digital systems would make a real difference – reducing administrative burden, improving communication, reducing risk at the interface, and allowing clinicians to spend more time with patients.

“GPs have long been ready to embrace digital prescribing, but after years of delay this has yet to be delivered.

“Without digital prescribing, patients and staff are still chasing bits of paper.

“This technology has the potential to streamline workflows and reduce the time GPs spend on paperwork that should be automated, and reduce the environmental impact of healthcare.”

Health boards are responsible for the purchasing of most IT equipment within GP practices, but RCGP Scotland says many items are used beyond their functional lifespan.

The paper recommends health boards ensure GPs and their teams is supplied with modern IT workstations and mobile phones, monitoring these across practices to ensure dated equipment can be replaced quickly.

RCGP Scotland is also urging the government to improve the transfer of data and information between in-hours and out-of-hours services, other parts of the health service, and link with healthcare providers outwith Scotland where needed, all while reducing the administrative burden.

The paper also recommends the government support GPs to utilise the opportunities presented by AI to ‘lay the foundations for transformation’, including guidance and access to secure AI scribes.

Dr Williams added:

“While the use of artificial intelligence in general practice is still limited, it offers exciting opportunities to automate some activities, improve service delivery and support clinical decision-making.

“We urge the Scottish government to move swiftly to produce clear guidance on the safe and effective use of AI in general practice.

“This would help ensure consistency, build confidence, and protect both patients and practitioners from any unintended consequences.”