Doctors have called on politicians to stop using the NHS as a “political tool” and set out “realistic and honest” pledges ahead of next year’s Holyrood elections.
In a manifesto before May’s vote, the British Medical Association (BMA) Scotland warned the health service was at a “critical juncture”.
BMA Scotland challenged parties to set out whether they would close the funding gap between rising demand and available resources.
“Politicians must recognise that without significant additional resources the current model of care is no longer sustainable,” the manifesto states.
“BMA Scotland is calling on all political parties to stop using the NHS as a political tool and to make realistic and honest pledges to ensure the future of high-quality healthcare in Scotland.”
The manifesto said doctors were “frustrated and impeded” by a focus on targets and called for a review of the “now outdated” approach that would prioritise clinical judgement.
The association wants more action to tackle staff recruitment and retention problems as well as increased support for GPs facing an “unsustainable” workload.
BMA Scotland also called for a greater focus on promoting healthy behaviour, including the introduction of an entitlement to a free portion of fruit or vegetables for all primary school pupils in Scotland.
Dr Peter Bennie, chair of BMA Scotland, said: “This is a critical juncture for the NHS in Scotland and it is vital that there is an open and honest debate about its future direction at the coming election.
“The pace with which demand on the NHS is increasing is outstripping resources and making the current way we deliver health services unsustainable.
“To close the gap there needs to be significantly increased investment. Any party which cannot commit to closing the funding gap needs to be honest with voters and set out what range and models of health services it plans to provide using currently planned resources.
“If politicians spend the next six months simply blaming each other for the challenges the NHS faces, then they will be letting down the public and failing to live up to their responsibilities.
“It is essential that politicians of all parties recognise the pressures the NHS is under and set out realistic and honest plans for how they will address these issues.”
Opposition parties used the publication of the manifesto to attack the SNP government’s record.
Labour’s public services spokesman Dr Richard Simpson said: “A crisis in family doctors has erupted on the SNP’s watch.
“We have seen a drop in funding totalling over £1 billion, fewer medical students, fewer trainee vacancies being filled and now fewer out-of-hours sessions being staffed.”
Liberal Democrat health spokesman Jim Hume said: “This election will be about the state of Scotland’s public services.
“Whether we are talking about cancer treatment times, A&E problems at flagship hospitals or the GP recruitment crisis, it is clear that our NHS is in need of intensive care after eight years of SNP government.”
Health Secretary Shona Robison said: “We are already working closely with a range of key organisations like the BMA as we put in place the changes we need to ensure our NHS can go on delivering high-quality care for generations to come.
“Under this Government our NHS workforce has increased by 8.2% – including more than 2,200 more nurses and midwives, 37% more medical consultants and 7% more GPs.
“Frontline health spending has increased every year and now stands at above £12 billion for the first time ever and funding per head is higher than in the rest of the UK. The recent Audit Scotland NHS Overview report also confirmed the Scottish Government has increased the frontline, resource spending on our NHS.
“We have been clear that we need to do more to prevent ill-health and support self-management. This is why health promotion and encouraging healthier lifestyles is such an integral part of our approach to healthcare.
“We are committed to transforming the way we deliver care within our NHS. This is why we are bringing together health and social care for the first time ever and have invested £100 million over three years to tackle delays in people leaving hospital.
“In addition we are going to spend £200 million to increase the number of planned procedures such as new hip and knee joints to drive down waiting times and cope with increased demand.”