Housing in rural areas should be set aside for GP staff under measures proposed by the Scottish Conservatives to tackle a crisis in local care.
The party is working on plans to build more rural homes and allocate a portion of local housing stock in a bid to encourage workers to relocate, we can reveal.
Party leaders are also drawing up plans to encourage medical students to complete their placements in rural locations.
At the Scottish Conservative conference in Glasgow this weekend, members will be told more needs to be done to ensure rural general practice is on a sustainable footing and to attract GPs to areas outside the central belt.
Under the proposals:
- There would be a recognition that general practice in rural areas face unique challenges.
- Other routes to care, such as pharmacies and optometrists, should ease strain on rural GPs.
- More health professionals, such as occupational therapists, dietitians and podiatrists, would be recruited.
- Housing stock in rural areas would be improved to encourage people to relocate.
- Medical students would be encouraged to complete placements in rural locations.
GPs ‘on the ropes’
Speaking before the conference, Scottish Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane described general practice as “on the ropes”.
Dr Gulhane, who also works as a GP, said: “Recruitment is well behind what’s needed to deal with increasing patient numbers.
“And no help has come from Humza Yousaf for health boards to recruit and retain GPs.
“In rural areas, the impact is jarring – GPs retire suddenly with no succession plan, and younger doctors look at ballooning patient lists, particularly in the north of Scotland.
“Some of them move away for better incentives or even decide to change disciplines. Others give it their best shot and are simply left to fail.”
Our own research revealed a long-term decline in GP services in Tayside and Fife, with fewer doctors and practices looking after a growing number of patients.
There are 13 fewer GP practices open in Tayside and Fife than there were in 2012, with the total number falling from 127 to 114 last year.
Meanwhile during the same period, the number of patients registered in Scotland increased by 6%, with almost 350,000 added to the list.
Making the chain weaker
Dr Gulhane said: “Out-of-town GPs cover wide areas with a real cross-section of patients.
“Every time an Invergowrie or Friockheim goes, it’s 3,500 or 6,000 people moving on to another link in the chain.
“But that is making the chain weaker.
“Existing and new patients are finding it harder and harder to get help, and that’s placing an incredible strain on the people in general practice.”
Nationally, the number of GPs hired has increased by 6% in the last 10 years. But there have been repeated calls for this figure to rise even further.
In February, the Scottish Government vowed to explore whether more cash could be put towards the Rediscover the Joy of General Practice project launched in 2018.
Humza Yousaf told MSPs that, in 2020-21, the government invested more than £300,000 to support rural GP recruitment.
Additionally, it offered £200,000 in relocation expenses and £400,000 “golden hello” signing-on bonuses.