Rural Scottish practices closing twice as fast as urban

GP surgeries in rural Scotland are closing at more than twice the rate of those in many central belt health boards, the Scottish Government has been told.

In a parliamentary exchange, Tess White (North East Scotland) (Con) told the deputy first minister that in NHS Grampian, GPs have been damning in their assessment of primary care under the Scottish Government.

In the debate, White asked Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic Kate Forbes, how the Scottish Government will prevent further GP practice closures. This follows reports that the number of surgeries has declined in every NHS board since 2015.

Forbes replied: “I understand… the challenges that our rural GPs face. There is agreement on the pressures facing our rural GPs. The point is that we are taking action right now to try to support our rural GPs as far as possible because we recognise their importance.”

Rural pledges include: £3 million for the national centre for remote and rural health and care, a £10,000 golden hello scheme, and £1 million in bursaries for GP trainees.

Political News Scotland