Summary

  • The Health Committee takes evidence on GP recruitment

  • NHS staff concerns are raised in topical questions

  • The government leads a debate on securing the interests of the country's rural economy following the Brexit vote

  • Scottish Labour MSP Monica Lennon leads this afternoon's members debate on feminine hygiene products

Live Reporting

Craig Hutchison and Colin Bell

  1. Summary of a letter to the committee from Dr McDevitt from the BMA

    In his letter to the Health Committee convener, Dr McDevitt, chair of the Scottish General Practitioners Committee of the BMA, highlighted the following: 

    • General practice is under considerable pressure from compounding problems of workforce shortage and unsustainable workload
    • this is causing considerable distress to the profession and practices
    • there is a growing number of practices which are not viable under the national contract because of recruitment problems
    GP and patientSCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
    • the BMA is working with the Scottish Government to develop a new model of general practice and a revised role for general practitioners. 
    • there are presently insufficient numbers of GPs to manage the current workload in primary care and this problem will be more extensive as the demographic change progresses further
    • there are concerns about community hubs and GPs working in a hospital setting

    Read the full letter here in the committee's papers

  2. 'There is clear evidence of a recruitment problem into general practice'

    Dr Alan McDevitt, chair of the Scottish General Practitioners Committee, British Medical Association says 28.6% vacancy rate in general practice around Scotland.

    Dr Alan McDevitt

    Dr McDevitt says: "There is clear evidence of a recruitment problem into general practice."

    He says it becomes a crisis when patient care is affected.

  3. RCGP calls for investment in general practice

    SNP MSP and deputy convener Clare Haughey asks about the GP crisis.

    Dr Miles Mack from the Royal College of General Practitioners says a third of practices in Lothian are unable to take new patients, more practices are getting taken over and there is increasing difficulty in recruitment.

    Dr Miles Mack

    Dr Mack says this is completely at odds with the Scottish government's 2020 Vision.

    He says it is crucial to look at the GP crisis and to tackle the falling percentage of funding going to general practice, down to 7.4%.

  4. The Health Committee begins

    The Health Committee now takes evidence on GP recruitment from:

    Witnesses
    • Gerry Lawrie, Deputy Director of Workforce, NHS Grampian
    • Lesley McLay, Chief Executive, NHS Tayside
    • Dr Miles Mack, Chair of the Scottish Council, Royal College of General Practitioners
    • Dr Alan McDevitt, Chair of the Scottish General Practitioners Committee, British Medical Association

  5. Warning of GP shortfall from RCGP

    A warning Scotland faces a shortfall of 830 family doctors has sparked fresh calls for Nicola Sturgeon to tackle the GP "crisis".

    The Scottish Conservative party has urged the first minister to commit to spending more on general practice.

    DoctorThinkstock doc

    The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) is forecasting the GP deficit will happen by 2020.

    The Scottish government said Scotland had the highest number of GPs per head in the UK.

  6. Summary: Last week's Health Committee heard calls to address GP recruitment issues

    Dr Elaine McNaughton, GP and Deputy Chair (Policy), Royal College of General Practitioners Scotland    told the committee there must be sufficient GPs for the primary care model to work.

    Dr McNaughton said there was a "very stressed workforce that is struggling to deliver" in primary care and there was a work force challenge across all groups in the NHS

    Dr Elaine McNaughton, GP and Deputy Chair (Policy), Royal College of General Practitioners Scotlandbbc

    Dr Elaine McNaughton, GP and Deputy Chair (Policy), Royal College of General Practitioners Scotland

    Dr Sian Tuckerbbc

    Dr Sian Tucker from Royal College of General Practitioners told the committee there needs to more GPs.

  7. Background: BMA warning over family doctor shortage

    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.

    GP with patientbbc

    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.

  8. Background: Call for action as GP numbers fall in Scotland

    The number of GPs working in Scotland has fallen and one in five practices has a vacancy, according to official statistics released in June.

    The survey found that 90 fewer full-time family doctors were working in Scotland in 2015, compared to 2013.

    DoctorThinkstock

    Labour accused the Scottish government of creating the "biggest crisis in family doctors for a generation".

    Health Minister Shona Robison announced £2m worth of funding to improve GP recruitment and retention.

    The main findings of the The Primary Care Workforce Survey were:

    • A total 3,645 whole-time equivalent GPs worked in Scotland in 2015 - 2% fewer than in 2013
    • The number of practices reporting a GP vacancy doubled between 2013 and 2015
    • Half of the vacancies reported on 31 August 2015 had been vacant for more than six months
    • More than a third of GPs working in Scottish general practice are over 50

  9. Background: New blueprint needed for out-of-hours care, review concludes

    Last year an independent review said a new blueprint was needed for out-of-hours medical services in Scotland, an independent review has concluded.

    It highlighted  the need for multi-disciplinary teams working together at urgent care resource hubs across Scotland.

    old man getting treatmentNHS Scotland

    The teams would include GPs, nurses, physiotherapists, community pharmacists, social care workers and other specialists.

    The review was commissioned by the Scottish government.

    It forms part of the government's plans to transform primary care services in light of the demands of Scotland's ageing population, and as health and social care services are integrated.

  10. Health and Sport Committee to begin shortly

    The Health Committee will shortly take evidence on GP recruitment from: 

    • Gerry Lawrie, Deputy Director of Workforce, NHS Grampian
    • Lesley McLay, Chief Executive, NHS Tayside
    • Dr Miles Mack, Chair of the Scottish Council, Royal College of General Practitioners
    • Dr Alan McDevitt, Chair of the Scottish General Practitioners Committee, British Medical Association   
    NHS staffbbc
    Health Secretary Shona Robisonbbc

    Health Secretary Shona Robison will give evidence to MSPs

    MSPs will then quiz Health Secretary Shona Robison on all aspects of primary care.

  11. Good morning and welcome to Holyrood Live

    Good morning and welcome to Holyrood Live's coverage of the Scottish Parliament on 27 September 2016.

    Coming up today we begin with the Health and Sport Committee looking at the challenges in GP recruitment, with representatives of doctors giving evidence first, to be followed by Health Secretary Shona Robison.

    GPPA

    MSPs will question the health secretary on GP recruitment.

    After topical questions the Scottish government will lead a debate entitled ‘Securing the Interests of Scotland's Rural Economy following the EU Referendum’.

    Sheep

    MSPs will examine the impact of Brexit on the rural economy.

      Labour MSP Monica Lennon will lead a debate highlighting the expense of feminine hygiene products.