Professor John Robertson OBA
BBC England, quite clear about the major threat to GP surgeries, in their headline above, and:
GP practices could be pushed “over the edge” by a planned rise in the National Insurance (NI) rate for employers, a doctor has said. The government has said the NHS and the rest of the public sector would be shielded from the rise but that does not cover GP practices, many of which are run as small businesses. Dr Andrew Purbrick, who represents 300 GP practices across the south of England, said many would be forced to cut back on staffing or close.
BBC Scotland, in sharp contrast with the vague headline above and only in the 10th paragraph this passing reference to the National Insurance hike which English GPs are most concerned about:
She says it now faces additional costs of between £35,000 and £50,000 each year due to a range of factors, including a hike in national insurance, the impact of NHS pay deals and rising charges from the health board.
The other factors?
BBC Scotland do not mention on NHS pay deals, this:
For 2024/25 the Scottish Government implemented the DDRB recommendation to uplift GP pay net of expenses by 6.5%. In total the Scottish Government uplifted the GP contract by £59.6 million. This also included a 5.5% uplift to practice staff expenses, and a 6% uplift to wider practice expenses.
BBC Scotland do not mention, on health boards charges, this:
Controversial service charges which were threatening GP surgeries across the NHS Lothian area have been put on pause.
nor what the charges are for:
facilities management charges, which include cleaning, utilities and essential services
https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/six-month-pause-on-gp-surgery-charges-5031161
It’s not clear whether the health board charges have gone up higher than the 6% allocated, or not. Perhaps BBC Scotland’s researchers could have found out.
BBC Scotland’s short insert on this in BBC Breakfast, is careful not to mention the tax hike and implies that blame for this lies at the Scottish Government’s door.
What’s the wider picture in Scotland?
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
BBC Scotland is a thoroughly discredited broadcaster . It has taken on the role of a propaganda outlet with one objective – to undermine the Scottish Government ( but only while it is an SNP Government ).
It would not be out of place in Trump’s USA , gas lighting people with its misinformation , omissions and , sometimes , its outright lies .
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Agreed, its primary purpose is to miss-inform while there is a SNP government or the Independence movement continues to thrive.
It wasn’t always like that, especially Radio Scotland that could in the past be trusted for a good coverage of news accurately given – that of course is what its purpose was supposed to be. Not now, its a plain propaganda outfit based in Glasgow, on behalf of another country.
The best thing to do is to continue to spread the results of the hard graft and and research that Prof. John and others do on what they are up to. Plus never, ever, pay them a penny. If I really wanted to pay for home grown propaganda, I could just buy the Herald.
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THE 2018 GENERAL MEDICAL SERVICES CONTRACT IN SCOTLAND between the Scottish Government and BMA states:
“Key Points
From 1 April 2018:
From 1 April 2019:
• The government will introduce a GP partner whole-time equivalent minimum earnings expectation.
On current evidence around one-fifth of GP partners earn less than a whole-time equivalent income of £80,430 (inclusive of pension contribution), based on partner shares of total practice GP income. We agree that no GP should receive less than €80,430 (inclusive of pension contribution) for a whole-time post. This is a first step towards greater income security that will be further bolstered in the following years.”….https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/advice-and-guidance/2017/11/2018-gms-contract-scotland/documents/00527530-pdf/00527530-pdf/govscot%3Adocument/00527530.pdf
Therefore Scottish Government giving an EXTRA £23 million in funding to GP practices and paying GP’s £80,430 per year.
As of 2022/23 the sum of NHS Scotland payments made to 910 General Practices was £1,013.0 million. Payments have increased by £23.6 million (2.4%) when compared to 2021/22. £47.6 million was paid to NHS Board run practices.
A 2021 update to this contract states that “ BMA’s Scottish GP Committee (SGPC) negotiated further expression of elements to the contract. The principles underpinning our approach to these discussions were:
Thus passing the buck to the SNP Government!!!
Dr Annie Lomas being the Medical Director of Lothian LMC……About Us – Lothian LMC has past history with the media in their anti Scottish Government propaganda…….this from 2023….. Last single-handed GP practice in Edinburgh to close – Pulse Today
Her Practice…..”Linden Medical Practice is a training practice and we have GP registrars that are training in practice. These are fully qualified doctors but are gaining their GP certification and membership.”….. Doctors – Linden Medical Practice
As far as I am concerned it is not best practice for a GP to be part of the ongoing media propaganda assault on the Scottish Government, who are trying to mitigate Labour Westminster razor cuts to our NHS, especially not from a highly paid “ professional” who the public put their trust in as a Doctor.
Some Professionals should leave the politics to the politicians, after all could you imagine the rubbish politician dame Baillie ( I’m going to denigrate the SNHS at every turn) moonlighting as a GP.
JB
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I doubt any here are surprised by continued gaslighting of the scottish public by BBC Scotland, least of all when it comes from Lisa Summers.
I’d dispute your observation on the BBC Scotland headline being vague – The difference between the England reporting of ” many would be forced to cut back on staffing or close ” versus the Scotland reporting of ” Doctors say they cannot afford to recruit new GPs ” is stark, one on redundancy, the other on new hires.
This is pretty much a la Dr Kennedy, ignore the UK shortage of doctors in preference to blaming it all on SG funding…
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