We already know there are more GPs per head of population in Scotland: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2023/01/02/no-reports-of-mass-self-medicating-with-27-more-gps/

In 2015, the Commonwealth Foundation reported on GP satisfaction and stress, comparing the UK with other countries in the developed world. I requested a breakdown of the UK data and that revealed a far more positive picture in Scotland: https://thoughtcontrolscotland.com/2017/11/14/already-the-best-staffed-and-least-stressed-in-the-uk-scottish-gps-to-get-better-contracts/

Today, 8 years later, the Commonwealth Foundation researchers have published a report which already has some breakdown of the UK data to reveal variations very favourable to Scotland.

The Guardian is, typically, reporting it as a UK story UK GPs have the highest stress levels, finds survey of 10 countries’ doctors and the other MSM do not seem to have got around to it. It will be interesting to see what if anything BBC Scotland make of it.

On job satisfaction:

GP job satisfaction is low in the UK compared with other countries. Just 24% of GPs in the UK are ‘extremely satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with practising medicine – similar to GPs in France (27%), but lower than all other countries in the survey. GPs in Scotland (36%) and Wales (34%) are more likely to be extremely or very satisfied than in Northern Ireland (13%) or England (21%). But GPs in the UK are now among the least likely to report being extremely or very satisfied of any country.

https://www.health.org.uk/publications/reports/stressed-and-overworked

So, GPs in Scotland as satisfied with practising medicine as those in most other countries and more so than those in France, Germany and UK.

On Work-life balance:

GPs in the UK are also among the least likely to be extremely or very satisfied with their work-life balance (11%). Satisfaction with work-life balance ranges from 8% in Germany to 33% in Switzerland. In the UK, GPs in Wales (19%) and Scotland (17%) are more likely to be extremely or very satisfied with their work-life balance than in England (9%). Among GPs aged 35–54 years, 35% are not at all satisfied compared with 14% younger than 35
years of age.

So, GPs in Scotland almost twice as likely to be satisfied with work-life balance than those in England.

On the crucial coordination with secondary care:

Most GPs in the UK are usually or often notified when their patients have been seen in out-of-hours care (94%), attended an accident and emergency department (91%) or been admitted to hospital (84%). But, on average, only 26% receive the information they need to continue managing care for the patient within 48 hours of discharge. GPs in Scotland are more likely to receive this information quickly: 56% say they receive this information within 48 hours, on average, compared with 23% in England, 22% in Wales and 24% in Northern Ireland.

That’s a shocking contrast in the effectiveness of four health systems.

Despite the report title Stressed and overworked, no UK breakdown on stress is offered in the report. A small sample will be the reason no doubt. In 2015, we could see this: