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Locums ‘not enough’ to plug GP shortage in Fife

Councillor Graeme Downie.
Councillor Graeme Downie.

Using locums isn’t enough to help solve the issue of a GP shortage in Fife, it has been claimed.

Councillor Graeme Downie says figures he has obtained show there aren’t enough locums to bridge the gaps.

What do the figures say? And what is being done locally and nationally to tackle the GP shortages?

What do figures show about locum GPs in Fife?

Mr Downie, councillor for West Fife and Coastal Villages, requested figures under Freedom of Information (FOI).

What do the figures show?

Figures show an average of four locums covering 25 sessions each month in Fife since January 2021.

Each session is intended to last four hours and 10 minutes.

Mr Downie claims that’s only approximately 13 days of additional GP cover across Fife, and it’s not enough.

Councillor Graeme Downie.
Councillor Graeme Downie claims locums aren’t enough to plug the Fife GP shortage gap.

He says: “In just the last month, NHS Fife have posted four warnings on their Facebook page about reduced services at GP surgeries across the kingdom.

“We are told there is a shortage of GPs nationwide.

“Clearly there aren’t enough locum doctors to fill the gaps, either.”

Is this just happening in West Fife?

A shortage of GPs and a need for recruitment are national issues affecting practices across Courier country.

At Valleyfield Health Centre, for example, patients raised concerns last month of a GP shortage.

Friockheim Health Centre.
Friockheim Health Centre.

In May patients of Friockheim Health Centre in Angus were told they will be transferred to a new doctor, after the practice closure was confirmed.

And that followed news of the closure of Ryehill GP surgery in Dundee, with patients to be assigned a new doctor from July.

What’s being done to get more GPs nationally?

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf MSP launched a campaign to recruit 800 more family doctors by 2027 last month.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf launched a GP recruitment campaign.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf launched a GP recruitment campaign.

In addition, the Scottish Government say:

  • Scotland’s GP headcount increased by 277 from 4,918 to 5,195 between September 2017 and September 2021
  • Trainee recruitment this year has so far been the most successful year of any of the last five, with 99% of GP training posts filled
  • There have been 3,220 healthcare professionals recruited into multi-disciplinary teams to support practices.

What about Valleyfield?

Earlier this month, NHS Fife met representatives from community councils across West Fife to discuss the issue at Valleyfield and what’s being done.

They say they’ve given a commitment to filling permanent GP roles in the practice.

All patients at the practice have been written to so they know what’s being put in place to ensure access to services.

There’s a commitment to recruiting permanent GPs for Valleyfield.

The Associate Medical Director for the Fife Health and Social Care Partnership, Dr Helen Hellewell, says: “This includes changes to the appointment system, arrangements for ordering repeat prescriptions and enhancements to the phone system.”

They’re also strengthening the multi-disciplinary team of healthcare professionals.

This includes physiotherapists, mental health nurses and pharmacists who are supporting the remaining GP, advanced nurse practitioner and locum medical staff.

Multi-disciplinary teams will support patients in West Fife too.

Dr Hellewell adds: “These clinicians are highly trained, experienced healthcare professionals.

“They’ll provide patients with a very high standard of care, often without the need to see or speak to a GP.”

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