GP pressures ‘putting patients at risk’ according to RCGP poll

A poll of GPs in Scotland has revealed 89 per cent worry patients are being put at risk by underfunding in the service.

Of those who responded to the survey, which was run by ComRes for the Royal College of General Practice in Scotland (RCGP), 77 per cent worry about missing information from patients because of their workload, while 93 per cent predict waiting times for appointments will increase.

Nearly 60 per cent of respondents said they are looking to reduce their hours or leave the profession in the next five years.

Last week NHS England announced increased funding for general practice to over 10 per cent of the NHS budget and the RCGP has called for it to be matched north of the border.

Speaking from his practice in Dingwall, chair of RCGP Scotland Dr Miles Mack said general practice had become a “defining issue” of the election campaign.

This is a service absolutely central to the NHS and to Scottish life. Patient safety is the concern of all political parties and of the entire electorate. I call on all the parties to make commitments which will guarantee the future of the GP service and increase funding to a sustainable level.

 “RCGP Scotland has been warning of this snowballing state of affairs for two and a half years now and has put forward positive solutions to see the crisis resolved,” he said.