Professor John Robertson OBA
From the Scottish Government today:
A network of walk-in GP clinics will open as part of work to improve access to primary care. The clinics, which would be staffed by GPs, nurses and support staff, will be open seven days a week, 12:00-20:00, in addition to existing primary care services. They will provide a range of same-day assessments, diagnostics and treatment. Fifteen clinics in sites across Scotland will proceed initially to test the benefits for patients. https://www.gov.scot/news/improving-access-to-primary-care/
Typically for BBC Scotland but contrary to practice in BBC England or Wales, their reaction was:
A leading doctor has questioned how the Scottish government plans to staff 15 new drop-in services run by GPs and nurses. First Minister John Swinney announced he aims to roll out the first site “within the year” during his keynote speech at the SNP conference in Aberdeen. But the vice chair of the Royal College of GPs Scotland told the BBC he was “not immediately clear” on where the workforce would come from, particularly as he said the GP workforce in Scotland is smaller than it was a decade ago. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp3d5e950ego
The last point is clearly a lie based on BBC Scotland’s claim in the same report where they say there are 4 582 GPs in Scotland in 2025, up from 4 393 in 2015. That’s a ratio of 83 GPs per 100 000 people.1
In NHS England, the BMA says there are 39 116 GPs giving a ratio of 66.7 GPs per 100 000 people.2
NHS Scotland thus has 24.4% more GPs than NHS England.
How will NHS Scotland staff these new centres? From the above 24.4%?
Finally is Dr Chris Williams the vice chair of the Royal College of GPs Scotland ‘a leading doctor?‘ No, he’s just a union organiser with a fancy title. A leading doctor would be treating complex medical conditions using the latest methods or managing a research team working on developing new cures.
Sources:
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp3d5e950ego
- https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/general-and-personal-medical-services/31-august-2025
You can support Talking-up Scotland at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details or by direct bank transfer method - Bernadette/John Robertson, Sort code 08-91-04, Account 12266421
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
‘the GP workforce in Scotland is smaller than it was a decade ago.’
Over and above the details of the statistical evidence on GP numbers given in the blog post above, my impression from my local GP practice is of change in the way its services are delivered now compared to a decade or so ago – more allied medical professionals attached to the practice to assist the GPs; routine vaccinations now delivered by directly employed NHS staff not by or within the GP practice itself; a greater role for community pharmacies (‘Pharmacy First’). There may be other ways in which primary care has evolved that I haven’t noticed.
In short, I suspect there is much more to be factored into an assessment of the adequacy of primary care resources than the vice chair of the Royal College of GPs Scotland tells the BBC to tell us.
LikeLiked by 1 person