Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 23 February 2016
23 Feb 2016 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Topical Question Time
General Practitioner Services (Funding)
It seems that senior GPs are queuing up to express their concern about the percentage fall in GP funding as a share of national health service resources—the latest example being Dr Ken Lawton, who is a senior partner at the Great Western medical practice in Aberdeen, who said at the weekend that as a result of the shortfall,
“There will be a deterioration of general practice and the service we can offer to patients.”
Does the cabinet secretary agree with that comment? What—if any—contribution does she think the funding issue is making to the current difficulties with GP recruitment?
In the same item of business
2. Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Lab
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on reports that GP funding has been reduced by £1.6 billion over the last 10 years. (S4T-01324)
The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport (Shona Robison)
SNP
Investment in GP services has increased each year under this Government, rising by almost £150 million from £704.6 million in 2007-08 to £852.6 million in 20...
Dr Simpson
Lab
I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer, although anyone listening to it would think that we do not have a problem with general practice at all, and th...
Shona Robison
SNP
I had thought that more GPs would be a good thing that members of all parties would welcome. Our calculations, which are based on the published GP spending ...
Dr Simpson
Lab
I am not asking the cabinet secretary to publish details of the contract, because I entirely understand that she is in negotiations and cannot do so. However...
Shona Robison
SNP
I did not accuse anyone of misleading anyone about anything; I said that Scotland has the highest number of GPs per head of population of the four UK countri...
Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
It seems that senior GPs are queuing up to express their concern about the percentage fall in GP funding as a share of national health service resources—the ...
Shona Robison
SNP
I will add to what I already said to Richard Simpson. The draft budget for 2016-17 shows that we are investing an additional £45 million through the primary ...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
I call Jim Hume. You will need to be brief, Mr Hume.
Jim Hume (South Scotland) (LD)
LD
The cabinet secretary said that GPs are indispensable, but in January the RCGP stated that it believes that the “Government deems” general practice “to be ‘d...
Shona Robison
SNP
We will get on with the job of reforming primary care here in Scotland, and we will work with the RCGP and with the BMA on the new contract to deliver that v...