News » Political News, Scotland » Highland LMC calls for an urgent review of the 2018 GP contract
November 23rd 2023
Highland LMC has called for an urgent review of the 2018 GP contract, with a specific focus on contract variations for rural areas, and deep end practices in its response to MSPs debating healthcare in rural areas.
In response to the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee inquiry into healthcare in remote and rural areas Highland LMC also calls for increased direct investment into, and preservation of, the independent contractor model, a recruitment and retention strategy, which also accounts for the greater costs of housing and living in rural areas, and the environmental impact, and sustainability, of healthcare service delivery.
Highland GPs report a very high proportion of board run ‘2C’ practices, which are between two to four times more expensive to run than independent contractor practices, and offer reduced continuity and expertise offered, despite the enhanced clinical role played by GPs in rural locations.
In its submission, RCGP Scotland highlights the lack of appropriate physical and digital infrastructure. Pharmacists, represented by Community Pharmacy Scotland, have called for “specific attraction packages” to encourage remote and rural relocations.
A National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Social Care has now opened to improve primary and community services. In a debate, Dr Pam Nicoll, NHS Education for Scotland lead at the centre told MSPs that a key function of the centre is to improve support and training for remote and rural dispensing practices. Dr Nicoll said: “We know that dispensing causes considerable stress for staff, and… that some GPs who are attracted to remote and rural practices have concerns about supporting full dispensing functions. That is an immediate priority for us, and we have already begun work to develop education, training and support packages in that respect.”
Scottish Government interim deputy director of primary care capability Siobhan Mackay said: “Work on dispensing practices is actively on-going and will be picked up in guidance and training materials from the centre.”
