June 21st 2024

By Ailsa Colquhoun

Difficult access to healthcare cited as reason for rural depopulation

Scottish politicians have called for a new rural health funding mechanism.

In a debate on rural depopulation, Tim Eagle (Highlands and Islands) (Con) said: “Rural populations deserve access to essential services such as … health. Can we get behind a new funding mechanism that will give local populations and their public services the chance to grow once again?”

In the debate MSPs heard that many rural communities across Scotland are facing a depopulation crisis, caused by factors including poor access to healthcare. They heard that general practices in rural Scotland are closing at more than twice the rate of those in central belt health board areas. Politicians were also told that the top five health board areas with the highest number of general practitioner vacancies per 100,000 people are in the Highlands: Shetland, Orkney, Western Isles, Highland and Grampian.

Taking part in the debate, Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con & Unionist) said: “ Patients in my constituency unnecessarily have to travel miles and miles for appointments and minor treatments for straightforward procedures. If only there was a clear plan, those services could be delivered at the four mothballed cottage hospitals.”

In reply, Minister for Equalities Kaukab Stewart said that a forthcoming rural lens toolkit will provide a systematic approach to solving rural community challenges.

The Scottish Government has also published an action plan to address depopulation.