Scottish parliament told to rural proof 2018 contract

Scottish politicians have called for a revised, more flexible approach to implementation of the 2018 GMS contract in remote and rural settings.

Publishing the report of the Remote and Rural Healthcare Inquiry, Health, Social Care and Sport Committee MSPs also called on the Scottish Government to learn lessons from GPs who have handed back contracts to health boards.

During the inquiry, rural GPs highlighted the practical challenges associated with trying to develop multi-disciplinary teams as part of delivering the 2018 GMS contract in remote and rural GP practices.

As part of the inquiry, respondents highlighted vaccination programmes, including for measles, as examples of services where moving service delivery responsibility from GPs to vaccination centres had increased cost, lower levels of uptake and poorer outcomes.

Respondents also cited a growing trend towards remote and rural GP practices handing their 17J contracts back to the local NHS board at costs estimated to be 2-3 times higher than when run by a contractor GP. “This is hardly a model for sustainable provision of GP in remote and rural areas,” the inquiry was told.

MSPs also heard that rural GPs are required to operate as "jacks of all trades”. Among their recommendations, MSPs have called for much greater structural support for remote and rural GPs including to work simultaneously in GP practices and clinical settings.

Issues such as poor availability of broadband and mobile coverage and the additional costs of running services in remote and rural settings were also raised during the inquiry.

Political News Rurality Scotland