Holyrood View - Time to get the basics of general practice working
There are big changes on the horizon for General Practice is Angus as two large surgeries are going to move out from under NHS management.
Brechin Health Centre and Abbey Medical Practice in Arbroath were taken under direct control of the health service years ago when the previous GP partners handed back their contracts.
This can happen when partners retire and can’t find replacements, or there’s simply not enough general practice doctors to meet the kind of workload they’re expected to face. The NHS ‘2C’ arrangement was deployed to stop patients falling between the cracks, or overwhelming nearby practices. It is meant to be used in emergencies.
This all happened pretty rapidly in Arbroath during the pandemic, then Friockheim lost its GP which was one of the supporting practices. So it’s understandable the board has taken time to find some stability before trying to find new partners to run it.
But Brechin has been a ‘2C’ practice for 11 years now. Officials say there are 8561 people on the roll there, while there’s 7051 on the books at Abbey. This is a big change that will potentially have long-lasting repercussions on patient care in Angus and Dundee.
I would like to see interest from groups of partners applying to take on GP contracts again. The best outcome will be the one that sees continuity of care – family doctors. Rather than making fantasy pre-election promises about walk-in GPs in the central belt, First Minister John Swinney needs to get the basics of general practice working in Angus again.
Absolutely fantastic news from Aberdeenshire as local authority members objected to the Hurlie substation near Stonehaven, one of the vital strategic points which will carry the overland cables from Kintore to Tealing.
Ahead of the dissolution of the Scottish Parliament in March, I am still meeting the likes of NESO and OFGEM and arguing the case for Angus continuing to be unspoiled by giant industrial energy factories. Angus North and Mearns SNP candidate Dawn Black voted to approve the substation, and by extension the pylons. Thankfully Mearns councillor George Carr’s motion to object was voted through. Remember all this when you vote on May 7.