Scotland explores structural reorganisation of rural NHS

Scottish Health Secretary Neil Gray has told the Scottish Parliament that “a blurring of boundaries” between island and rural health boards could ensure greater regional working.

In a question by Beatrice Wishart (Shetland Islands) (LD) asked whether island health boards should remain as separate national health service boards.

Gray added that the aim would be to structurally reorganise “without all the cost, the pain and the time that it would take to arrive at that position”.

In the same session, Jamie Halcro Johnston (Highlands and Islands) (Con) asked about the impact of the 2018 GP contract in rural areas. Gray told the Scottish Parliament that there are now 10 GPs per 10,000 patients in rural health boards, compared with 8.4 across the rest of Scotland. During 2024, the number of GPs working in rural health boards increased 1.7 per cent (17) to 1,030 GPs.

Political News Scotland