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Scotsman
03-08-2025
- Health
- Scotsman
Doctors asked to help shape NHS future in 'long overdue' Scottish Government 'once-in-a-generation' project
The government is launching a 'once-in-a-generation opportunity' for doctors to shape the future of the NHS. Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Doctors are being urged to help SNP ministers shape the future of Scotland's medical workforce in a 'long overdue' new project. The Future Medical Workforce project will gather feedback from doctors, residents and senior clinicians to help shape reform in NHS training, recruitment and workforce planning over the next 15 to 20 years. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Described as a 'once-in-a-generation opportunity', doctors will be able to join a series of focus groups to share their thoughts on the pressures the profession is facing and how best to tackle the challenges of delivering care for a changing population. Doctors are being encouraged to have their say. |Dr Iain Kennedy, chair of BMA Scotland's council, said the project must produce a clear plan for the future and not become another document 'gathering dust on a shelf'. He said: 'A proper doctor workforce plan, which looks at levels of patient need and the doctors we require for the future, is long overdue. 'BMA Scotland has called consistently for this, so it is vital that the work underway does finally deliver - for the good of patients and ensuring we have an NHS in Scotland that is sustainable for generations to come.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Dr Kennedy said there were 'many complex issues' this project would need to cover, including retaining more doctors and ensuring 'reward is returned to the kind of levels we saw before years of pay erosion set in'. The Scottish Government has confirmed this project will not cover pay or doctors' terms and conditions. However, Dr Kennedy said pay 'needs to be factored into any overall plan that emerges'. He said: 'Further problems, such as the looming resident doctor unemployment crisis caused by training bottlenecks, must be addressed, as well as whole career paths for doctors across both primary and secondary care. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Dr Iain Kennedy, chair of BMA Scotland. 'We also need doctor vacancies and gaps in patient services across many parts of Scotland to be addressed.' Dr Kennedy added: 'It is welcome that the Scottish Government is finally engaging on this, but we need that to continue, the work to be done at pace and with the urgency that the doctor workforce crisis demands. And at the end of this process a clear, deliverable plan that acknowledges the scale of the problem and finally sets out how it will be addressed needs to be forthcoming. 'Then, it will be up to the Scottish Government to deliver - the plan must not be simply allowed to gather dust on a shelf. To do so would be not just letting doctors down, but patients who rely on the care the NHS provides day in, day out.' A report will be produced on the back of the focus groups, which is due to be published in the autumn with a list of recommendations. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The project's second phase will then begin in January 2026, focusing on reform, improving recruitment and redesigning medical education. A research group has now been established to guide the methodology of this project, bringing together NHS Education for Scotland, the General Medical Council, the royal colleges, medical schools and senior clinical leaders. Health Secretary Neil Gray said the project was a 'once-in-a-generation opportunity' to shape the future of the medical workforce. He said it would create a 'sustainable, fulfilling career path' for doctors working in Scotland. Health Secretary Neil Gray. | Andrew Milligan/Press Association 'We know the NHS faces major challenges, and it is vital that those living the reality of what it means to be a doctor today are at the heart of shaping what comes next,' he said. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I strongly encourage doctors across Scotland to get involved in this work. Your voice matters and your insight will help ensure that the future of our health service is informed, inclusive and resilient.' The launch of the project to help meet the demands of a changing population comes as hospitals are branded 'death traps for the frail'. The claim was made as figures showed a quarter of a million falls were recorded in Scottish hospitals in the past five years. Since 2019, 282,385 patient falls have been recorded. Statistics obtained by Scottish Labour from a Freedom of Information request also show nine out of Scotland's 14 health boards recorded an increase in patient falls. The highest increase was seen in NHS Orkney where patient falls increased by 75 per cent. Other high increases were seen in NHS Dumfries and Galloway (34 per cent), Borders (29 per cent) and NHS Forth Valley and NHS Highland (both 13 per cent). Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The only health boards which recorded a reduction in patient falls were NHS Ayrshire and Arran, NHS Grampian, NHS Lothian and NHS Shetland. The total number of falls in each health board since 2019 were: Ayrshire and Arran - 14,213 Borders - 8,861 Dumfries and Galloway - 11,179 Fife - 15,563 Forth Valley - 18,743 Grampian - 31,065 Greater Glasgow and Clyde - 71,870 Highland - 13,250 Lanarkshire - 25,203 Lothian - 49,050 Orkney - 1,003 Shetland - 466 Tayside - 20,516 Western Isles - 1,403. Standard hospital guidance says hospital wards should be clear from clutter and patients who are classed as a fall risk should have a clear route to a toilet. However, Scottish Labour said many hospitals were now overcrowded, staff were under-resourced, and a quarter of the NHS estate was built in the 1960s and 1970s. Dame Jackie Baillie, Scottish Labour's health spokeswoman, said: 'Falls can be life-changing for older and more vulnerable patients. These figures should be a warning of how easily Scotland's crumbling hospitals can become a death-trap for the frail. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Dame Jackie Baillie MSP | Jeff'With long queues at A&E and out-of-date hospitals, hard-working NHS staff are already stretched to breaking point. 'The SNP must act now to ensure that patients don't come to unnecessary harm because of the condition of the estate or overcrowding.' Ms Baillie said her party would 'modernise our hospitals' if Scottish Labour won next year's Holyrood election.
STV News
26-06-2025
- Health
- STV News
GPs enter dispute with Scottish Government in first step towards strikes
Scottish GPs have moved into formal dispute with the Scottish Government, the British Medical Association in Scotland has announced. Doctors said 'enough is enough' as they took the first steps in preparation for a ballot on industrial action, such as striking. 'Today, the Scottish GPC (GP Committee) has written to the cabinet secretary for health and informed him we have entered into formal dispute with Scottish Government,' BMA Scotland leaders said. 'Legally, this is the next step in escalating our concerns in preparation for a ballot of the profession on taking disruptive action. 'I want to make it clear, no one wants this escalation to take place, and urgent talks with the cabinet secretary and Scottish Government continue to identify how they can work with us to provide full funding restoration and exit this dispute.' In a BMA wellbeing survey, half of the practices questioned their sustainability, and 90% of the profession were willing to take disruptive action in response to the 'generation of neglect' of GP services. The dispute comes down to what the professional association for GPs called the 'erosion' of funding provided to general practice since 2008. The BMA Scotland said General Practice continues to face significant challenges delivering the core services doctors 'so dearly want to protect for our patients'. The BMA hit out at the 'ridiculous paradox' of being forced to look at what hours can be cut from practices to balance the books at a time of 'more demand on services than ever'. 'The impact this is having on the locum market and job opportunities, especially for our newly qualified GPs is shockingly stark,' BMA Scotland said. 'These are the exact reasons we have launched our Stand with your Surgery Campaign and called for £290m full funding restoration to come direct to GP practices.' The BMA said GPs need this funding to 'stabilise the situation and employ more GPs to meet demand'. 'It will provide the foundations from which we can then begin to look to a brighter future for our practices and our patients,' the letter stated. The Scottish GP Committee of the BMA, on the back of the results and lack of progress in negotiations, have voted unanimously to enter a formal dispute with the Scottish Government. 'We have been told, time and time again, that resource must shift to the community, but with no attempt to even begin to plug the £290m gap in 2025/26 the lack of action to support the rhetoric continues,' the letter from the BMA stated. The BMA slammed the Scottish Government for accepting the Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration (DDRB) report while 'neglecting' the inflation of staff and non-staff costs for GPs. '[It] means no practice in Scotland will be able to deliver upon the recommendations without impacting on services or Partners' bearing the cost, with little hope to realise the sub-inflationary pay uplift. Enough is enough,' BMA Scotland said. The Scottish Government has been contacted for comment. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
STV News
24-06-2025
- Health
- STV News
NHS ‘dying before our eyes', BMA to say, as survey reveals Scots going private
The NHS is 'dying before our very eyes', the union representing doctors has warned, as a new poll revealed the extent of private medical care in Scotland. The survey, carried out by the Diffley Partnership for BMA Scotland, found nearly a third (29%) of Scots had accessed private treatment in the last two years or lived with someone who did. Dr Iain Kennedy, BMA Scotland chairman, said it was 'abundantly clear' that Scotland was now divided between people who could afford to go private – and those forced to 'languish' on NHS waiting lists. He warned the situation will get worse unless the Scottish Government takes immediate action to secure the future of the country's health system. According to the survey, 17% of Scots reported accessing private medical care in the last two years while 14% said a member of their household had done so. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of respondents who had accessed private care for themselves or a member of their household said it was because the NHS waiting list was too long. Of those who underwent private treatment, 45% used personal savings while 20% said they had to cut back on leisure activities to afford it. Some 9% had to cut back on essential items such as energy and groceries while another 9% had to borrow money to fund private treatment. Nearly half (46%) of respondents who did not use private care in the past two years said it was because they could not afford to. Some 43% said their likelihood of using private healthcare had significantly or somewhat increased in the past few years. Meanwhile, 63% reported their confidence in being able to access a timely hospital appointment through the NHS had significantly or somewhat decreased in the past few years, as 60% said the same for GP appointments. In a speech to the BMA's 2025 annual representative meeting in Liverpool, Dr Kennedy will point to his warning last Christmas that the NHS would struggle to see another year with its founding principles remaining intact. He is expected to say: 'Our NHS should be free at the point of need. But, through today's research, I can reveal that almost a third of Scots say either they or someone in their household have had to use private healthcare within the last two years. 'Our survey showed that the majority are forced to do so, as waiting lists are simply too long. They just can't get the timely care they need. 'And it will only get worse, because 43% of those surveyed feel they are now more likely to go private. 'It is abundantly clear that Scotland has been divided into those who can afford private healthcare and those languishing on ever longer NHS waiting lists.' Dr Kennedy will say he does not believe the issue was a result of an 'active choice' but 'a failure get to grips with an evolving population and its health needs'. He will warn: 'But, be in no doubt, the NHS is dying before our very eyes.' The doctor will call for reform in four parts of the NHS, including a shift in the balance of care into the community, the instruction of a workforce plan to recruit and retain doctors as the population ages, a long-term focus on prevention and a 'more mature' approach to measuring the health service. He will tell BMA members on Tuesday: 'The chance to save our NHS remains. If we want to provide timely care to all, which is free at the point of need, then immediate action is required. 'We did ask the Scottish Government for a national conversation but were largely ignored. So, instead, NHS reform must now happen.' He will add: 'The impact of the Scottish Government repeatedly ignoring the warnings made by the BMA and many others is clear. Patients are suffering, unable to access the care they need when they need it, or having to use their own hard-earned money to go private.' The Diffley Partnership surveyed 1,203 people aged 16 or over between May 30 and June 4. The Scottish Government has been approached for comment. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Daily Record
24-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Scottish Government must solve NHS waiting list crisis as service 'is dying'
BMA Scotland's warning that the NHS 'is dying before our very eyes' should be a call to arms. The union's poll has revealed just how many Scots are using private healthcare. The problem lies in long waiting lists, with one in six Scots currently awaiting treatment. This is a long-standing problem which the SNP government must do more to tackle. Its failure to do so is driving more and more Scots towards private medical care. Nearly a third of those surveyed have either used private healthcare in the last two years or lives with someone who has. This is a damning reflection of the Scottish Government's running of the NHS and should be causing alarm bells to ring. Not all those who are going private can afford it. Many are having to give up on leisure activities or have to dip into personal savings. The number of people using private care would be even higher but many Scots don't have the money needed to pay for it. People feel they have no alternative to going private to get the healthcare that they need. Their only other option is to 'languish' on a waiting list for months or, all too often, years. The NHS is a treasured institution and a source of national pride. Healthcare should be free at the point of use for everyone – but is has to be available when needed. The reality is we now have a two-tier system where those who can afford it pay and those who cannot have to continue suffering. This can't go on. The Scottish Government must do more solve the waiting list crisis in our health service. Robin us blind Nigel Farage has tried to fool the public by saying he will bring in a Robin Hood tax. But his pledge to take a one-off fee of £250,000 from wealthy tycoons and give it to the lowest 10 per cent of earners will actually just be a massive tax break for the super rich. It would let billionaires off by paying very little tax and would leave the UK Government with £34billion less to spend on our health service and schools. He couldn't even answer questions about how it would impact the economy yesterday. Farage and Reform do not care about helping poorer people. All they want to do is give a hand to Farage's wealthy pals and let them pay less tax. Do not fall for his lies.
Glasgow Times
19-06-2025
- Health
- Glasgow Times
Dr Sandesh Gulhane MSP: 'Patients are waiting while ministers profit'
While practice staff are overwhelmed and patients grow desperate, a revolving door of SNP health secretaries have shuffled through office, out of their depth, armed with spin instead of solutions. When they do act, they fail to deliver. The GP contract was meant to reduce rising workload by bringing in wider support teams. Instead, seven years on, those teams never arrived, and GPs have been abandoned, forced to manage workforce shortages on their own. And amid the chaos which has left practices on the brink of collapse, SNP ministers still found time to give themselves a £20,000 pay rise. This isn't a hypothetical crisis – it's unfolding every day across Greater Glasgow and Clyde. There are now fewer than 232 GP surgeries serving more than 1.3 million people. Nearly a third of those practices have at least one GP vacancy. Many GPs are now responsible for 1400 patients, well above the national average. Patients are told to call back again and again. Some wait more than a week for an appointment. Urgent care is often delayed. And while patients wait in phone queues, health is quietly deteriorating. And here's the madness: all of this is happening at the same time as qualified GPs – trained in Scotland, ready to work – can't find a job, they're unemployed or, quite literally, driving Ubers to make ends meet. That's not just wasteful, it's unforgivable. It is SNP mismanagement in its purest form: desperate need on one side, underused expertise on the other – and absolutely no grip from those in charge. I declare an interest: I'm a practising NHS GP. Every week, I see the toll this takes on patients and on staff. I was also co-chair of BMA Scotland's GP Trainees Committee. I know the reality on the ground. I know what it feels like when the printer breaks, the phones jam and your last patient of the day needs more than 10 minutes. And I know what it's like when the Government is nowhere to be seen. The SNP once promised 800 more GPs by 2027. Instead, the number has dropped – from 4514 in 2022 to 4438 last year. They failed to plan for retirements. Failed to retain newly qualified GPs. And failed to create posts for the very doctors they trained. The Scottish Conservatives offer a serious alternative. We would prioritise training places for Scottish-domiciled students – those most likely to stay and serve. We would guarantee NHS jobs for Scotland-trained graduates, and we would increase the GP budget, ring-fencing funds to boost appointment access and keep practices open. We also propose a seven day a week GP-led service, backed by expanded NHS24 capacity and digital tools that cut bureaucracy, not care. These are real solutions to ease pressure on hospitals and ensure patients get timely treatment. This is what happens when policy is shaped by people who've actually done the job. Meanwhile, SNP ministers focus on headlines, not healthcare. Three health secretaries since the last Holyrood election. Promises made, promises missed and patients left behind. But this can be turned around. With real leadership, general practice can recover. It starts by listening to those on the front line – and finally putting patients first.
