Primary care services in some of Scotland’s island communities are in crisis.
That’s the warning from Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston who, raising his concerns with Health Secretary Neil Gray in Parliament on Thursday, said the Scottish Government’s failure to deliver support to help reduce GP’s administrative burdens has seen appointment waiting times increase dramatically.
In 2018, the Scottish Government introduced a new GP contract to be fully implemented in 2021 and this promised to include additional pharmacist, nurse, physiotherapist and mental health support to relieve pressures on primary care.
However, Mr Halcro Johnston, who is Shadow Islands Minister, as well as being convener of Holyrood's Cross-Party Group on Islands, said ministers had failed to keep their promise to GPs and this had led to increased workload for frontline doctors, with waiting times for many island residents to see a GP increasing considerably.
The Scottish Conservative MSP said GPs had told him that, where previously they had been able to offer same day appointment, many patients were now having to wait weeks to see their GP.
Mr Jamie Halcro Johnston said: “Primary care services in island communities have been in crisis for years, but SNP ministers have shamefully failed to act.
“It is seven years since the SNP promised their new GP contract would reduce the pressure on frontline doctors, but in typical SNP style that promise has been broken and patients are suffering devastating consequences as a result.
“My island constituents can be left waiting weeks or even months to get an appointment with their doctor, but the SNP remain completely detached from the reality facing them.
“Neil Gray must do the right thing and finally ensure this contract is properly implemented and guarantees patients will get quick access to a GP.
“It is unacceptable that, yet again, islanders are being impacted because SNP ministers in Edinburgh are making promises they won’t deliver on”.
