Doctors across Scotland are warning that many general practices cannot afford to recruit new GPs, even as the government pushes for better access to primary care. With rising costs and limited funding, some surgeries are scaling back on temporary staff and freezing new hires, leaving patients facing longer waits and fewer available appointments.
Practices Forced to Cut Back Due to Rising Costs
Three-quarters of Scotland’s GP surgeries are run by independent partners who cover the costs of running their practices before being reimbursed by the NHS. But with increasing expenses, many are finding it hard to balance the books.
Dr. Annie Lomas, a partner at Linden Medical Practice in West Lothian, describes the financial situation as “the worst it has ever been.” Her practice, which has eight doctors, is struggling to stay afloat due to escalating costs.
She estimates an additional £35,000 to £50,000 in annual expenses caused by rising national insurance contributions, NHS pay agreements, and increasing health board charges. As a result, they have cut back on locums and postponed hiring new GPs, despite the growing need for medical staff.
“If I can’t afford to employ staff, then ultimately, the person who is going to lose out is the patient,” Dr. Lomas warns.
GP Trainees Facing Job Market Crisis
While Scotland has more trainee GPs than five years ago, many newly qualified doctors are struggling to find permanent or temporary positions.
Dr. Samantha McCarthy, a final-year GP trainee at Penicuik Medical Centre, is facing an uncertain future. “When I started three years ago, practices were crying out for salaried GPs and locums,” she says. “Now, we’re facing a wall of unemployment.”
She’s even considering leaving medicine altogether or moving her family to Australia, where GP opportunities are more abundant. “It’s really sad that we are at this point,” she adds. “I’m worried for the patients who can’t get appointments.”
Patients Facing Long Waits and Overwhelmed Surgeries
Tricia Dickson has been a patient at Penicuik Medical Centre for over 30 years. She says staff are doing their best, but securing an appointment has become increasingly difficult.
“Sometimes I find myself 80th or 90th in the queue when I call in the morning,” she explains. “It’s just not fair because we’re not getting the service we deserve.”
With new housing developments increasing demand, Dickson wonders where all these new residents will go for medical care.
Government Targets Falling Short
In 2017, the Scottish government set a goal of recruiting 800 new GPs by 2027. However, recent workforce data shows a slight decline, with full-time GP numbers dropping from 3,478 in 2023 to 3,453 in 2024.
First Minister John Swinney has pledged to prioritize NHS investment, including strengthening community healthcare services to improve GP access. But with an aging population requiring more complex care and long hospital waiting lists adding pressure, many doctors argue that the current funding model is unsustainable.
Without urgent financial support, more practices may be forced to close, leaving patients with even fewer options for essential medical care.
