Question reference: S6W-00280
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 27 May 2021
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Current status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 14 June 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what criteria needs to be met in order for all GP surgeries to allow routine face-to-face appointments between GPs and patients.
Answer
General practices are following Public Health Scotland’s advice to reserve face to face appointments in primary care settings for those consultations where the GP decides it is clinically necessary. This is not just to prevent the general transmission of the coronavirus but to protect general practices as medical spaces for patients who have a clinical reason for face to face attendance.
Public Health Scotland's advice is not tied to the levels Scottish local authorities are in. General practices will remain open regardless but will continue to manage face to face appointments consistent with this advice. At present all patients are still able to get an appointment by telephone or video call.