Call for greater investment in general practice

General practice could help the NHS in Scotland to thrive again – but time is running out to save it.

This is the message from the leader of Scotland’s family doctors, Iain Morrison, who says a ‘huge shift’ to increase investment in GPs would be central to turning the NHS around.

He is also warning GPs are deeply unhappy with the level of funding on offer for this year’s contract and at the likely effect of the proposed increase in employers’ National Insurance contributions on general practice.

Dr Morrison, chair of the BMA Scottish GPs committee, is due to address doctors today at the conference of local medical committees in Clydebank.

GPs from around the country are gathering to debate topics including funding, workforce, premises, and the effect of the increasing use of the private sector.

They are also due to hear from health secretary Neil Gray, who is expected to address delegates before lunch.

A survey conducted by BMA Scotland, published today, shows the level of disappointment with this year’s proposed uplift in funding for general practice. They believe the 7.5 per cent on offer may not be sufficient to pay for staff pay rises and meet other rising costs of delivering general practice – including a pay rise for GPs themselves.

Nine out of 10 GPs who took part in the survey say they are not satisfied the offer recognises their contributions to the NHS, while 86 per cent say it has affected their morale. Nearly two thirds say they are more likely to leave the NHS as a result.

Dr Morrison is expected to say the future holds huge demographic challenges and that the demands and needs of patients will only be met with a huge shift to support general practice.

‘I truly believe we have a finite period by which we can turn the tide and rescue general practice. We will work tirelessly to make government see the harm they have caused and redress the balance of healthcare provision,’ he said.

General practice’s share of the NHS budget has persistently eroded from 11 per cent in 2004 to 6.5 per cent now – directly leading to the number of whole-time equivalent GPs across Scotland flatlining and now receding, Dr Morrison is expected to say.

The BMA is seeking mitigation for GPs from the employer’s National Insurance contribution rise announced in the UK budget.

‘Without this support, even more practices will be pushed to the edge, and again it will be patients and communities left without access to GPs who suffer.’

Dr Morrison will call for the share of the NHS budget for general practice to rise and will warn it must be more ambitious than simply returning to 2004.

He is expected to say: ‘We believe that, for general practice to realise its awesome potential and for the NHS to once again be a jewel in the country’s crown, we must see our slice of the NHS budget rise to 15 per cent.

‘Achieving such record investment into general practice would help to fund the ambition to move to one WTE [whole-time equivalent] GP per 1,000 patients.

‘This would mean an extra 1,800 GP WTE across Scotland, delivering outstanding levels of continuous relationship-based care and would facilitate massively improved GP access with all the benefits that brings to the NHS, population health and the patient themselves.’