I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-33527 on 27 January 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

The Scottish Government does not hold information on how many GP practices in rural areas have closed in each of the last five years. NHS Boards are responsible for managing their contracts with GP practices and determining, with Health & Social Care Partnerships, whether to replace any practices that have closed.

Telemedicine is essential to supporting care across Scotland. Access to services has shifted significantly over the past 5 years and we expect this to continue as we roll out improved ways to engage with health and social care services. Digital services are supporting people across Scotland to reduce unnecessary travel whilst also saving time, cost and uncomfortable journeys.

This information is not held by the Scottish Government. You should contact the Scottish Ambulance Service directly.

The Scottish Government’s role is to set the strategic policy for the NHS in Scotland, NHS Boards are responsible for service delivery. All Health Boards should consider patient transport needs when they plan and deliver services.

On 30 October, the Scottish Government published the Transport to Health delivery plan which sets out commitments against transport and healthcare across the work of Health and Social Care and Transport Scotland. The plan was informed by the 2019 Transport to health and social care report prepared by the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS) on behalf of Ministers.

As set out in the plan, we will continue to use the NHS annual delivery plans to re-emphasise the need for Health Boards to consider patient access as part of the care pathway and reflecting the opportunity that is emerging for reducing the number of patient journeys through alternative options.

Public Health Scotland publishes annual data on NHS eye examination on their website at: https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/ophthalmic-workload-statistics/ophthalmic-workload-statistics-statistics-as-at-year-ending-31-march-2024/

The NHS Pharmacy First Scotland service is helping people to access the Right Care at the Right Place. It removes the need for unnecessary visits to GPs, Out of Hour services or Emergency Department for everyday self-limiting conditions.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) has reported that that in financial year 2023-24 alone, over 4.7 million Pharmacy First Scotland consultations were undertaken with 95% providing advice on self-care or treatment at the point of contact. PHS also reported that in 2023/24, 32% percent of the Scottish population (1,747,654 people) accessed Pharmacy First Scotland services at least once. PHS reports provide analysis of data at a national level, further aggregation by local area may be available online.

With Patient Group Directions (PGDs) in place for common clinical conditions such as shingles, urinary tract infections, skin conditions, impetigo and hay fever – patients can get prescription treatment without the need for an appointment at their GP practice. In 2023-24, Pharmacy First Scotland consultations using PGDs accounted for 3.8% of the total consultations (181,174) with 84% (154,809) resulting in treatment being provided by the community pharmacist.

The Scottish Government are determined to tackle poverty and reduce health inequalities in Scotland - continuing to take wide ranging action to deliver improved outcomes for families and individuals across the country and to address the root causes of inequality.

The Health and Care Experience Survey and the National Performance Framework both provide Scottish Government with evidence to support the monitoring of inequalities and outcomes across Scotland, including rural areas.

The Scottish Government has committed to publish a plan setting out how all parts of the Scottish Government are delivering for Scotland’s rural mainland communities, by the end of the current Parliament. This is underpinned by the evidence compiled on Rural Scotland, Rural Scotland Data Dashboard: Overview - gov.scot which was published on 21 December 2023. In addition, the Scottish Islands Data dashboard was published on 5 December 2023.

The Plan will cover a range of key areas, including health and social care.

Officials engage with Health Boards and HSCPs on a regular basis to review health outcomes.

Through the National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Care, housed within NHS Education for Scotland, the Scottish Government are supporting the health workforce in rural and island areas.

A detailed programme of monthly rural specific training sessions are being delivered for multi-disciplinary rural practitioners online to ensure access for the widest group of rural practitioners across Scotland.

New rural specific training programmes are being developed and delivered to support the specific needs of the remote and rural Primary Care and community services workforce. Current programmes of work include focused support and training for remote and rural dispensing practices, new resources being developed to support Primary Care professionals to become trainers within the community and Primary Care Practice settings for Advanced Nurse, Pharmacy, and Practice Nurse Practitioners.

The Scottish Government has a number of incentives already in place, amongst which is the Scottish Distant Island Allowance (SDIA), an addition to salary which supports staff with the costs of travelling to and from the mainland. NHS staff who work in the majority of Scotland’s islands are eligible to receive SDIA.

There is also the Scottish Government funded ‘Golden Hello’ scheme, administered by NHS Scotland Boards, which provides up to £10,000 to every GP taking up an eligible post in a rural area.

To attract dentists to rural areas we have made available a range of grants and allowances including the recruitment and retention allowance, which allows new trainee dentists practicing in eligible areas, to qualify for a ‘Golden Hello’ payment of up to £37,500 in the first three years of practice.

Furthermore, to support GPs to develop the skills required to work in rural areas, NHS Education for Scotland (NES) offers the Rural GP Fellowship. The fellowship provides qualified GPs with direct experience of working in rural and island areas across rural and island Health Boards, with the fellowship lasting a full year.

ScotGEM offers a unique four-year programme tailored to meet the current and future needs of NHS Scotland with a focus on rural medicine, healthcare improvement and developing interest in General Practice. ScotGEM students are eligible to apply for and receive a ‘Return of Service’ bursary of £4,000 per annum which commits them to working for NHS Scotland for the corresponding number of years following graduation. In addition to the return of service bursary, the Scottish Government pays the tuition fees for eligible students, offering an attractive package for potential applicants.

In addition to the Scottish Government funded incentives, staff being recruited to posts in rural and island areas may also be eligible for relocation expenses, the decision to offer relocation expenses lies solely with boards.