More Than 20 Lost GP Days Hit NHS Lanarkshire
New Freedom of Information data has found that more than 100 days’ worth of out of hours sessions for general practice were not staffed in the last 3 months, with more than 20 days coming in Lanarkshire alone. An out of hours session is a GP covering a period outside of the normal working hours of 9 to 6. These sessions tend to be 3-4 hours long and with longer sessions through the night.
Freedom of Information data shows that there have been 826 unfilled sessions in the last 3 months. Taking each session at three hours, these 2,478 hours of unfilled sessions equates to 103 full days.
In NHS Lanarkshire, where out of hours services have been reduced from 5 to 2 centres, there were 209 unfilled sessions.
The news comes after a summer which has revealed a crisis in Scottish general practice, which saw:
- Investment in General Practice having fallen by over £1 billion since 2005/06.
- Around 2 million patients in Scotland served by understaffed and under resourced practices
- For the first time Scotland having fewer GPs per head than the North East of England
- Scottish domiciled medical students entry cut by 15% since 2008/09, reversing the trend of the previous Labour-led Scottish Government.
- More practices without GP partners and vacancies increasing for both partners and sessional doctors and now under direct Health Board control. More practices restricting new patient registration.
- One in five trainee GP posts vacant.
Mark said:
“GP surgeries are the first port of call for families, but under the Scottish Government we are facing the biggest crisis in general practice for a generation.
“Our research shows that more than twenty days’ worth of GP sessions have not been filled in the last three months in Lanarkshire; we know practices are understaffed, fewer trainee vacancies are being filled and there are fewer medical students.
“People in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth have endured years of the Scottish Government cutting vital health services from our area. Ministers have failed to listen in the past, but they must take action now. If General Practice is in trouble there will be a serious knock-on effect to other important NHS services, from missed waiting times for mental health to increased pressure on A&E because people cannot get the opportunity to see a local doctor.
“With patients and hard-working staff already being pushed to breaking point, it is vital that the Scottish Government finally gets a grip of the crisis in the NHS.”
Notes
GP Out of Hours FOI
Question 1) How many GP out of hours centres do/did you operate in (a) 2013/2014, (b)2014/2015 and (c) currently
Question 2) What is the normal number of GP sessions expected to cover the centre each week in (a) 2013/2014, (b)2014/2015 and (c) currently
Question 3) How many out of hours GP sessions have you been unable to fill in the last three months by centre
Question 1
Question 2
Question 3
% sessions unfilled
2013/2014
2014/2015
Currently
2013/2014
2014/2015
Currently
Ayrshire & Arran
3
3
3
11
11
19
24
10.5%
Borders
4
1
1
17 Jan-July
14 Aug-Dec
10
10
15
12.5%
Dumfries and Galloway
3
3
3
72
72
72
28
3.2%
Fife
4
4
4
102
102
102
0
0%
Forth Valley
3
3
3
83
83
83
20
0.02%
Grampian
8
8
8
154
166
164
152
7.7%
GGC
10
10
10
146
151
151
4
0%
Highland
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Lanarkshire
5
3
2
160
147
147
209
11.8%
Lothian
5
5
5
175
175
180
73
3.3%
Orkney
1
1
1
16
16
16
2
1%
Shetland
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Tayside
3
3
3
126
125
121
275
18.9%
Western Isles
3
3
2
23
30
25
24
8%
Total
52
47
45
1085
1088
1090
826
6.3%
Research from the Royal College of General Practitioners has shown that investment in GP services has fallen by a cumulative total of over £1 billion since 2005/6, with demand rising by over 10% during the same time period.
“Scottish GP surgery teams carrying out an estimated 24.2 million consultations each year — an 11% rise over ten years. At the same time, the share of NHS funding spent on general practice in Scotland has been falling year on year. The GP percentage has fallen from 9.8% in 2005/06 to a record low of 7.8% in 2012/13. This drop has led to a real terms cumulative loss of investment of £1.1 billion into Scottish general practice compared to a scenario where funding had remained at 9.8%.”
Source: http://bit.ly/1ew9qyb
Metal Theft Causes Travel Chaos
Mark Griffin MSP has called for action to be taken on metal theft, after a recent incident which left thousands commuters late and frustrated across Central Scotland.
Train services between Glasgow and Edinburgh were subject to delay and cancellation on Wednesday 7 October, because of the theft of copper signalling cable between Croy and Falkirk High.
After years of promises the Scottish Government finally tabled legislation to change the metal dealer regime as part of the Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Bill. However, despite passing the Act in June, Ministers have still not brought these measures into force.
Mark said:
“For the second time in a month thieves have targeted this line, selfishly stealing cable to sell it as scrap metal.
“Commuters in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, and across the central belt, have once again been inconvenienced.
“Three years ago the Scottish Government gave assurances that they would produce legislation to prevent cash sales of scrap metals. Despite passing the Air Weapons and Licencing Act in June, Ministers have failed to bring the provisions of the Act into effect.
“This recent incident could have been avoided, and unless Ministers to get off their hands and take action, we could see more problems in the future."
Mark Calls for Reregulation as Bus Cuts Loom
Mark Griffin MSP has commented on the looming cancellation of the X5 Cumbernauld-Glasgow service and the alteration of other services across Cumbernauld and Kilsyth Mr Griffin has reiterated his calls for the Scottish Government to re-regulate bus service provision in Scotland.
Mark said:
“I am deeply disappointed that First Bus has taken the decision to cut and alter several services the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth area, which will have a detrimental impact on commuters. The loss of the X5 service in particular will cause real problems for commuters in Abronhill and Condorrat.
“I am ardent supporter of bus re-regulation, and these cuts are another example of why it is necessary. Presently bus companies can pick and choose the profitable routes and cut service provision in less profitable areas. This can often leave whole communities cut off.
“The Scottish Government has consistently refused to support Scottish Labour’s calls for the re-regulation of bus services, which were deregulated under Margaret Thatcher. They must act now to end the current public transport postcode lottery impacting Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, and towns and villages across Scotland.”
Auditor General Highlights Government's Finance Failings
A report from Scotland's Auditor General has highlighted string of failings of the Scottish Government's management of the nation’s finances.
The report reveals an underspend of around £350 million from the Scottish Government on key areas such as health, education and infrastructure.
The report also highlights the problems with the SNP Government’s flagship funding programme, the Scottish Futures Trust, which has seen the building of schools and health centres, including Cumbernauld Academy, delayed.
The report also mentions the suspension of the European Structural Funds (ESF) programmes, which saw Scotland denied over £45 million in EU support for vulnerable people because of concerns about how the scheme was being administered by the Scottish Government.
Mark said:
“At a time of austerity for our public services we are seeing millions of pounds not being spent in key areas like health, education and justice, which is frankly unacceptable.
“This is a damning report from the Auditor General and highlights the problems with the Scottish Government's infrastructure strategy – which is already forcing vital projects in our communities into a state of limbo.
“The report notes that Scotland has been denied over £45 million in EU support for vulnerable people because the Scottish Government botched the administration of the scheme.
“John Swinney sets the Scottish rate of income tax for the first time in a few weeks time but he has been Finance Secretary for over 8 years. This report is far from a glowing review of his record.”
Questions remain unanswered on T in the Park funding row
Questions remain unanswered on the T in the Park funding row according Mark Griffin MSP.
The Depute Convenor of the Education and Culture Committee quizzed Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop this week and believes the matter is far from concluded.
Mark said:
"I have called on the Culture Secretary, Fiona Hyslop to make a full parliamentary statement about her role in the T in the Park funding row.
"This follows her appearance before the Scottish Parliament’s Education and Culture Committee where I asked questions about why she authorised a £150,000 payment to the organisers of the pop festival, DF Concerts.
"This was a very unsatisfactory appearance by the Culture Secretary which left a whole host of questions unanswered.
"Waiting until the evening before the meeting to release six hundred pages of documents smacks of desperation to avoid difficult questions. The heavily censored pages reinforce that impression that the Cabinet Secretary and the Scottish Government have something to hide.
“I do not think anyone could hold that up as a shining example of transparent government, so it’s not surprising that some of the Cabinet Secretary’s answers were greeted with incredulity. Between the committee evidence and the freedom of information documents, the last twenty-four hours have raised more questions than they have answered."
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