The number of GP appointments taking in place in Scotland per month has plummeted by almost 145,625 in the space of less than three years.
Research by the Scottish Conservatives shows that in March 2024 – the latest month for which data is available – 1,462,302 direct GP encounters took place.
That represents a reduction of 145,625 – a 9% reduction – on the 1,607,927 encounters that took place in June 2021.
Scottish Conservative deputy leader Meghan Gallacher says that successive SNP health secretaries have failed to address a “deepening workforce crisis” that has left areas across Scotland “dangerously short” of GPs to meet patient demand.
She says that, typically, on the SNP’s watch it is rural communities which are bearing the brunt of the cuts and that ministers have no plan to tackle growing waiting times for patients.
Meghan Gallacher has urged SNP ministers to adopt plans outlined by her party earlier this year which would ban the closure of any local healthcare facility unless it is replaced by a new one, recruit 1,000 additional GPs and guarantee patients an appointment within a week.
Scottish Conservative deputy leader Meghan Gallacher MSP said: “GP services across Scotland are in crisis on the SNP’s watch.
“This damning research reveals that the number of GP appointments has plummeted by almost 10 per cent since the last Scottish Parliament elections.
“Successive SNP health secretaries, including Humza Yousaf and the disgraced Michael Matheson, have completely failed to address a deepening workforce crisis in primary care which has left many areas dangerously short of GPs.
“Typically, under the Central Belt-focused SNP it is rural communities who are bearing the brunt of these cuts.
“Unlike the SNP, we have a plan to fix this crisis. Our health paper would put a stop to vital local facilities closing, recruit 1,000 extra GPs, guarantee appointments within a week and give a greater share of the health budget to health care.
“If voters unite around the Scottish Conservatives in key seats up and down Scotland, we can beat the SNP and ensure the focus is on people’s priorities, like getting a GP appointment, rather than the SNP’s independence obsession.”
Notes to editors
The number of direct GP encounters fell by 145,000 between June 2021 and March 2024. Public Health Scotland GP activity data shows that in June 2021, the first full month of the new session of this Scottish Parliament, there were 1,607,927 direct GP encounters. However, as of the latest month for which we have data, March 2024, this figure has fallen to 1,462,302, a drop of 145,625. (Primary Care in-hours General Practice activity, 28 May 2024, https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/primary-care-in-hours-general-practice-activity-visualisation/primary-care-in-hours-general-practice-activity-visualisation-as-at-31-march-2024/dashboard/. Click or tap if you trust this lin" data-auth="Verified" data-linkindex="1">link).
A ‘direct’ GP encounter refers to a primary care encounter involving direct interaction between patient and a General Practitioner during standard hours. This includes in-surgery consultation, telephone consultation, home visits, specialist clinic contact, video consultation, and eConsultation (eg by email). ((Primary Care in-hours General Practice activity, 27 February 2024, https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/primary-care-in-hours-general-practice-activity-visualisation/primary-care-in-hours-general-practice-activity-visualisation-as-at-31-december-2023/dashboard/. Click or tap if you trust this ">link).