Scotland reveals extent of remote and rural GP crisis

A crisis in rural and remote general practice in Scotland has been raised in Parliament by Tess White (North East Scotland) (Con).

Responding to BMA Scotland research showing practices at risk of financial collapse, White explained that over the past 10 years, around 100 Scottish practices had closed, while others had handed back contracts.

In the BMA survey, 30 practices described their position as "precarious" following the pausing of the GP Sustainability Loan Scheme.

Under the scheme, which was a key part of the 2018 GP contract, GPs who own their own premises can apply for long-term interest fee loans worth up to 20% of the practice’s value, which is only repayable when the building is sold or converted to non-medical use.

Of those responding to the BMA, six said having to hand back their contract was "likely". More than eight out of ten of respondents – 47 out of 55 - said the loan considerably improves stability.

Responding to White, Scotland’s Health and Social Care Secretary Neil Gray blamed Westminster’s failure to adequately fund Scottish healthcare.

He explained that Scottish Government’s financial transactions allocation has been reduced by 62 per cent since 2022-23. Although Scotland was committed to restoring the loan scheme, Gray said: “Austerity has a consequence. That has a direct consequence on the availability of funding that we are able to pass on.”

According to RCGP data, 4 per cent (16) of Welsh GP practices closed during 2022-23. In a ‘Save our Surgeries’ campaign, BMA Cymru Wales is calling on the Labour Government to spend 11 per cent of NHS Wales funding on general practice.

Political News Research Scotland