More GPs working in a safe NHS

There is no doubt that there is a GP crisis in Scotland.

There have been stark warnings of a further shortfall of family doctors by 2020.

People in every community are already seeing the consequences, with short-staffing at surgeries and long waits for appointments. We will:

• Work with the Royal College of GPs in Scotland to build a sustainable future for local health care, reducing the unproductive and misguided controls and targets imposed by central government;
• Increase the proportion of NHS funding allocated to primary care and treble the allocation to the Primary Care Fund;
• Train, recruit and retain more GPs;
• Increase the number of support staff – nurses, allied health professionals and counsellors working in general practice so that more people can be treated successfully;
• Add to the resources available to GPs in our most deprived areas as a priority to tackle health inequalities.