Is there already research evidence on the effectiveness of ‘Walk-in GP centres’? Has the SNP policy even been designed to take advantage of those findings?

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As you might expect, Dr John Tobias who, on his cv, claims that during COP26 in Glasgow he was chosen to be a personal physician to Heads of State, did not hesitate to rule on the new SNP walk-in GP centres as failures before they can even begin.

You can just hear him – ‘I don’t need researchers to tell me what to think! I know…..’

There is, however, research, lots of it, and I feel the need to review it before I go telling anyone else even what I think.

It is mixed. Some studies find no meaningful impact on overall GP demand or waiting times1 and there is, overall, Insufficient high-quality evidence.2

However, there are also studies finding a reduction in emergency department (ED) visits and cost savings3, and high patient satisfaction and access.4

So, how do we, educated folk all of us, react to the above? Decide they’re a waste of time or, maybe, think we could try them in Scotland and evaluate them later? Hey’ that’s the SNP plan!

We could also, if we trusted the SNP Government, even a wee bit, to have looked at this research above and asked the project leaders:

Is there anything in the design of the new Scottish centres that might counter the negative consequences observed in earlier UK projects?

I asked Grok AI:

Yes, several design elements in the new Scottish walk-in GP centres appear intended to address or mitigate some of the negative outcomes seen in earlier English models, such as fragmented care, low utilization relative to needs, negligible systemic impact, and staffing challenges. These centres are part of a one-year pilot, which itself allows for structured evaluation and adjustments—unlike many past initiatives that lacked robust ongoing assessment. 5, 6

Grok AI had a lot more to say, to evidence the above and to consider negatives too. I’ll leave you to ask your own AI the same question.

Sources:

  1. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp3d5e950ego
  2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1314495
  3. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7955766
  4. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/1472-6963-13-142
  5. https://www.gponline.com/scottish-government-considering-every-possible-option-boost-gp-premises/article/1941417
  6. https://democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=93853

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5 thoughts on “Is there already research evidence on the effectiveness of ‘Walk-in GP centres’? Has the SNP policy even been designed to take advantage of those findings?”

  2. I wonder how many of the following recent Scottish Government commitments/investments in General Practice have been conveyed to voters in Scotland by the mainstream media that supposedly serve our polity?

    Scottish Government press statement 29 November 2024: ‘Additional investment in general practice – Funding to help practices retain and recruit key staff’.

    ‘An additional £13.6 million will be invested in General Practice this financial year to support GPs to retain and recruit key staff, Health Secretary Neil Gray has announced. Speaking at the annual conference of BMA Scotland’s Local Medical Committees, Mr Gray confirmed the immediate funding for 2024-25 will address known financial pressures, support staff costs and enable GPs to take on partners and salaried GP staff.’

    Press statement 21 August 2025: ‘£15 million funding increase for General Practice – New investment to ease workforce pressures.’

    ‘General Practice will receive an initial additional investment of £15 million this year to ease recruitment pressures and boost capacity. The new investment will support workforce retention and recruitment, build service capacity and support the day to day running of GP services. The funding comes after discussions with the sector about the sustainability of GP services – negotiations will continue around further support to help shift care from acute to community.’ And: ‘We have already increased investment in general practice by over £100 million in the last two years to meet recommended pay increases and to support practices with sustainability.’

    Press statement 28 October 2025: ‘£531 million investment in General Practice – Funding will improve access to services and support recruitment’.

    ‘General Practice will receive additional funding of more than half a billion pounds over the next three years to support recruitment – the largest investment in core GP services to date in Scotland. The announcement, subject to Parliament agreeing future budgets, comes following agreement with the British Medical Association (BMA) over new additional funding which builds to a recurring £249 million in three years’ time. The funding will help boost staff numbers and capacity, support day-to-day operations and make it easier for people to access GP services. This newly agreed additional funding takes additional new investment for General Practice to £531 million.’

    Worth emphasising this in the same statement: ‘Dr Iain Morrison, Chair of BMA Scotland’s GP Committee said: “For some time, we have been clear that the only way to put General Practice in Scotland on a sustainable footing for the future and to improve access for patients was direct investment into practices to recruit and retain GPs.

    “Today’s announcement, secured after a robust but constructive set of negotiations is welcome recognition of that fact and reflects the level of funding needed to stabilise and rebuild General Practice across Scotland in both urban and rural areas.

    “It is a significant step in the right direction, and importantly is a vote of confidence in the long-term future of the independent contractor model of general practice that has served local communities across Scotland so well.

    “This investment should finally enable the profession to feel optimistic about the future and provides the opportunity to make working in General Practice in Scotland the rewarding, safe and sustainable career it should be once again.”

    Press statement 4 November 2025: ‘Increase in access to GP care – New data shows 2.4 million rise in patient-GP surgery contact.’

    ‘Statistics released by Public Health Scotland today, show patients in Scotland had 33.98 million direct encounters with staff in General Practice between October 2024 and September 2025 – an increase of 2.4 million on the same 12-month period in 2023-24.

    ‘GP numbers have increased in Scotland and to make it easier for people to access GP services and support recruitment, the Scottish Government is investing an additional £531 million of newly agreed funding in General Practice over the next three years, subject to Parliament agreeing future budgets.’

    All the above announced before the following on the walk-in GP services pilot:

    15 January 2026: ‘£36 million to expand walk-in GP services – Investment will improve same-day access to urgent care’

    24 February 2026: ‘Delivering new GP walk-in clinics – Total number of planned sites rises to 16’.

    ‘Background: GP walk-ins will complement traditional General Practices and urgent care – bridging the gap between the two – to offer patients the opportunity to be assessed at clinics led by GPs and staffed by highly-skilled, multidisciplinary teams. Depending on clinical need, patients may see a GP or Advanced Nurse Practitioner or another health professional.

    ‘This pilot scheme, which will be subject to full evaluation, is on top of a landmark £531 million investment in primary care which will see GP numbers increased across Scotland. During the pilot phase, the service is available to patients registered with local GP practices within the catchment of the identified sites.’

    So the funding for this GP services pilot is on top of the £531m investment which on 28 October, 2025 the Chair of BMA Scotland stated: “This investment should finally enable the profession to feel optimistic about the future and provides the opportunity to make working in General Practice in Scotland the rewarding, safe and sustainable career it should be once again.”

    Has BBC Scotland, STV, Daily Record, The Herald, The Scotsman etc. been diligent in ensuring voters have all this information? Anyone?

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  3. John, on returning to New Zealand for the third time shortly after the pandemic I found that GP practices had stopped seeing anyone that wasn’t registered.

    However, I had a first hand experience of a 24hr walk in centre as unfortunately I caught covid whilst out their and needed an antibiotic to help clear up the after effects. The service was excellent.

    Might be noted that the NZ NHS has a reciprocal agreement with our NHS and you don’t have to pay for treatment, you only pay for prescriptions.

    I’ve no idea if ScotGov looked at the NZ model but it works perfectly.

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