Committee convener Neil Findlay asks how the shortage issues can be rectified unless there is a cash injection from somewhere.

Mr Findlay a Labour MSP says there are 1,000 GP practices and 140 pharmacists being recruited and asks how on earth that will work.

Linda Harper, associate nurse director with NHS Grampian, says there needs to be more encouragement for people to want to start a career in health care.

Dr McNaughton says there is a retirement bulge, leading to the number of GPs reducing and it has been well known that this was coming for 10 years.

She says there is a problem retaining students who are training in health care and that future GPs are not being attracted to courses. 

The GP says: "This is a real, real challenge and a real, real concern."

Linda Harper, associate nurse director with NHS Grampian, says there needs to be more mental health nurses.

Dr McNaughton says there is a work force challenge across all groups in the NHS, which is a key barrier.

She says patients needs are complex and very rarely present with one issue.

Elaine Thomson from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society says there have been books like 'Refer with Confidence' to help professionals to refer to other health professionals.

SNP MSP Clare Haughey delcares an interest as a mental health nurse and asks about the role of AHPs in mental health treatment.

Dr McNaughton says they will be an integral part of the team and integration and the interface will be critical.

Dr McNaughton says the role of social care must be looked at more in the context of primary care.

She says: "There is absolutely no questions that social care is crucial and the third sector."

Dr Elaine McNaughton from the Royal College of General Practitioners Scotland says GPs are the data controllers and carry the responsibility for data.

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Dr McNaughton says this needs to be addressed legislatively.

Elaine Thomson from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society says pharmacists are looking at moving more patients away from GPs.

The lack of GPs in Scotland has been described as "extremely concerning" by the British Medical Association (BMA).

A survey found 28.5% of Scottish practices had at least one GP vacancy as of 1 June, up 2.5% in three months.

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The BMA said vacancies were putting more strain on remaining GPs who have to cover staffing gaps as well as facing increased service demands.

Health Secretary Shona Robison said the Scottish government was already taking steps to improve GP recruitment.

Dr Alan McDevitt, chairman of the BMA Scottish GP Committee, said: "The fact that over 28% of GP practices in Scotland had a vacant position in this snapshot survey is extremely concerning.

Committtee convener Neil Findlay ask if this is all driven by the lack of GPs.

Dr McNaughton says the other principle driver is the change in demographics across Scotland.

She says there is insufficient social care support.

The GP says not having the clinical expertise of GPs is one driver, but not meeting the changing needs is the other.

Dr Elaine McNaughton from the Royal College of General Practitioners Scotland says a recent study looked at pharmacists in roles of treating chronic illness, but it is not very cost effective.

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The cheapest solutions is having the GP do everthing, she says.

Dr McNaughton adds that would not be the best care by any means.

She says there is a "very stressed workforce that is struggling to deliver" and we have to be creative.

SNP MSP Clare Haughey asks how much GP time has been saved by advanced nurse practitioners or having a pharmacist in the surgery.

Linda Harper, associate nurse director with NHS Grampian, says it is difficult to quantify the time. 

Christopher Rice, senior charge nurse with NHS Shetland says there should be something integrated in computers to record this.

SNP MSP Richard Lyle says GPs have to sign too many prescriptions, why can that role not be shifted to someone else.

Dr McNaughton says with the right structures in place that can be done.

She says there needs to be legislative changes to allow a pharmacist to sign their own prescriptions.

Elaine Thomson from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society says pharmacists can do this and provide a whole new service that takes some of the work from GPs away. 

Dr Elaine McNaughton, GP and Deputy Chair (Policy), Royal College of General Practitioners Scotland says GPs now work very much in a mutually valued team.

Dr McNaughton says she valued being a member of a really comprehensive team of nurses, midwives and visiting consultants.

She says we are not talking about a new model and says there needs to be sufficient GPs in order to continue the model.

The committee will now take evidence from:

• Dr Elaine McNaughton, GP and Deputy Chair (Policy), Royal College of General Practitioners Scotland 
• Elaine Thomson, Locality Team Leader (Pharmacy) Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership, Representative Royal Pharmaceutical Society
• Christopher Rice, Senior Charge Nurse, NHS Shetland
• Linda Harper, Associate Nurse Director, NHS Grampian

That concludes the first evidence session.

Committee convener Neil Findlay asks if there is a Yellow Pages type booklet for people across Scotland signposting health professionals.

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Dr Sian Tucker says there is a leaflet entitled "know where to turn to" and an app is in development.

Dr Sian Tucker from Royal College of General Practitioners says wider training must be looked at, for example more training for receptionists.

Dr Tucker says there needs to be more national patient health care as well, where people can self-help.

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Green MSP Alison Johnstone raises the issue of health inequality.

Theresa Fyffe from the Royal College of Nursing says access is key.

Aileen Bryson from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society says it is not all about taking the workload of GPs it is about filling the gaps in patient care. 

Ms Bryson points to minor ailments service in a pharmacy in the community.

Gabrielle Stewart from the Representative of Allied Health Professions Federation says yes there is a GP crisis but the whole workforce must be looked at.

"What is the dream team? We don't know that."

"At the moment we are just tinkering with pilots, I think we need to be much braver."

Ms Fyffe says she likes pilots but more radical changes must be made.

She says people won't go into a job where they know it will end in a year.

Dr Sian Tucker from Royal College of General Practitioners says it is not yet known what can be transferred to AHPs.

Dr Tucker says we have to grow our number of GPs, as well as the GP workforce crisis driving the need for change, there is also the change in the approach to care.

Labour MSP Colin Smyth asks where the required pharmacists will come from.

Theresa Fyffe from the Royal College of Nursing says work force planning across the teams is not good enough at the moment.

Ms Fyffe says there is to much focus on the number of GPs in primary care, all staff levels must be looked at.

She says shifting resource can be really hard to do without long term funding.

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Aileen Bryson from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society says if IT links were put in and the services were joined up a community pharmacist could do many of the things the pharmacist in a GP surgery is doing.

Ms Bryson says barriers must be broken down so the public know they can go to the community pharmacist on issues of public health.