The Scottish Government is planning to allocate an extra £10.5m to general practice as part of a shift to more community-based care, the First Minister has announced.
During a speech at the National Robotarium in Edinburgh, John Swinney said that the investment is part of a plan to shift more care into communities and ensure that ‘a greater proportion’ of new NHS funding goes to primary care.
It comes after Scotland’s GP leaders outlined a list of demands for the Government to meet in order to avoid industrial action, including GPs receiving 15% of the NHS budget and long-term contract reforms.
Mr Swinney said that the Government has been listening ‘carefully’ to the views of Scotland’s GPs, who have described the ‘multiple contributions’ general practice can make as part of a shift to ‘more community-focused care’.
He said: ‘We have listened, and we have been persuaded. GPs and services in the community will have the resources they need to play a greater role in our health system. This increased investment will result in GP services that are easier for people to access.
‘That is important in terms of people’s confidence in the health service – indeed, difficulties making GP appointments top the list of issues that people often raise with me. But equally, it will make it more likely that health issues are picked up quickly and dealt with earlier.’
He also said that he wants to see Pharmacy First expand so that community pharmacies can treat ‘a greater number of clinical conditions’ and ‘prevent’ the need for a GP visit in the first place.
Doctor leaders welcomed the announcement, but said that it lacked detail on how the Government is planning to shift more care and more funding into primary care services long term.
RCGP Scotland chair Dr Chris Provan said it was encouraging to see that the First Minister has been ‘persuaded’ by the case for a greater proportion of new NHS funding to go to primary and community care.
He said: ‘RCGP Scotland has long argued for the level of investment in general practice to properly reflect and value the contribution it makes to patients and the wider NHS. I think GPs across Scotland will be encouraged by the First Minister’s words.
‘GPs and their teams are under unprecedented levels of pressure due to the workload of caring for a rising and ageing population and a declining workforce.
‘Alongside investment, the other critical pillar to seeing more care in the community will be restabilising and bolstering the workforce.
‘I look forward to seeing more details on how this shift in new NHS funding will be delivered in the coming weeks.’
BMA Scotland chair Dr Iain Kennedy said that there were ‘some encouraging words’ in terms of the Government’s direction of travel, but pointed to a ‘lack of detail’ within the plans.
He added: ‘As we have set out however, there is now an urgent need for a plan to deliver the kind of reforms that are required to make the Scottish NHS sustainable for generations to come. At this stage, we still lack the detail and comprehensive vision needed to make any plan a reality.
‘It is clear that we must, as the First Minister said, shift the balance of care and find more funding directly for GPs, but that must be done on the basis of a full plan that does not simply remove funding from and risk destabilising hospital care, which is facing massive challenges,’
Last month, Scottish LMCs representatives voted in favour of balloting the profession on industrial action, as a result of ‘years of disinvestment in general practice’ with financial cuts opposed to uplifts to GP partners pay.
During the LMCs conference, health secretary Neil Gray announced an additional £13.6m to go directly into core GMS this financial year.
10.5 million will not scratch the surface also for ‘more work’ out leaders need to be much more muscular.