Why some patients are struggling to get a GP appointment
When you are unwell or need support managing a condition, we know that you want an appointment with a GP or member of the practice team as quickly as possible and with a minimum of fuss. But, too often, that is something that practices struggle to provide.
If it often feels like you are in competition with hundreds of other people to get through to us and secure an appointment, then that is because it is quite literally true We absolutely appreciate that this is hugely frustrating at times, but practices and all our staff are working as hard as we can. We simply do not have the resources, or sufficient GPs to do all that is asked of us. And the explanation for that is the failure of the Scottish Government to invest in and recruit and retain the GPs you – and Scotland need.
While the number of NHS consultants working in Scotland has increased by 30% in the past 12 years as the health needs of the population have increased, the number of GPs has fallen by 6%. In that time the number of patients registered with a GP has increased by nearly 9%. As a result of this, while there was one GP for every 1,515 patients in 2013 there is now only one GP for every 1,735 patients. Simply put, there are not enough GPs to provide the level of access to General Practice that patients were previously able to benefit from.
Worse than that, despite the big increases in hospital staff numbers, patients are waiting longer than ever for treatment and therefore need more GP appointments and support while they are waiting. Despite General Practice in Scotland providing over 650,000 appointments every week, it is simply not enough to meet demand.
Poor access to General Practice is frustrating for GPs who want to deliver the best possible service and it is frustrating for patients who feel they are struggling to be seen when they need it. The majority of Scotland's 898 General Practices are run as independent businesses. They are mainly funded with a fixed income, no matter how much work is asked of them to look after the local community. With that fixed pot they must pay for all their staff, upkeep their buildings and meet all their running costs. General Practice is recognised as being the most efficient part of the NHS in the UK, but a lack of sufficient investment has resulted in where we are today. Ultimately this is a result of funding decisions taken by Scotland’s politicians and will only truly be addressed with sufficient investment directly into General Practice.
In 2008, the NHS spent around 11% of its whole budget on General Practice. Today, that figure is less than 6.5%.
Practices have also faced significant additional financial turbulence in recent years, and the recent increase to Employer National Insurance Contributions as a result of the 2024 budget at Westminster will add further bills of tens of thousands of pounds to every practice. Without funding from Government to meet this cost, the only choice that many practices will have, is to cut services further. This means fewer doctors and nurses to care for you and a smaller reception team to answer your calls and help guide you.
Contacting your MSP: how you as a patient can support your local GP practice
The problems in General Practice can be fixed, but it requires a commitment from politicians of all parties to rebalance investment in the NHS so that General Practice receives a proportion of funding in line with the way things used to be.
With proper investment, we can radically improve your ability to see a GP or member of our team and can do so much more to deliver high quality health services in our local community. We want, like you do, to see GP deliveredcare with continuity and quality at the heart. Free healthcare for all cannot exist without an efficient and functioning General Practice. Help us protect the core principles of the NHS.
If you want to see that protection and want to improve our services, please consider taking the time to contact your MSPs and make clear that you believe more investment needs to go to General Practice as a priority. By working together we can look to a healthier future.