That the Parliament recognises that general practice is a vital frontline service of the NHS; recognises the challenges, including in recruitment and retention, faced by GPs and the wider primary care sector; notes that the new GP contract, developed in partnership with the BMA, aims to reduce GP workloads; recognises GPs as expert medical specialists leading a wider primary care workforce; welcomes that the contract plans to significantly improve national data on primary care, as well as move to address the inverse care law by giving greater emphasis to the effects of deprivation on both physical and mental health and wellbeing; believes that an increasing share of NHS frontline funding being directed to primary care is necessary in order to help increase the number of GPs and wider primary care workforce, and that steps toward this should be set out in the primary care workforce plan, and is concerned that the potential impact of Brexit on free movement and the mutual recognition of qualifications may become a serious barrier to current and future recruitment efforts.
Supported by: Liam Kerr, Annie Wells, Brian Whittle
Result 63 for, 49 against, 6 abstained, 11 did not vote Agreed
That the Parliament recognises that general practice is a vital frontline service of the NHS; believes that the Scottish Government has underfunded general practice over the last decade and failed to shift the balance of care from acute to primary services; notes with concern Audit Scotland’s report that there is a lack of national data on the primary care workforce; further notes that one-in-four GP practices has a vacancy and one-in-three GPs is approaching retirement, and believes that the Scottish Government must take urgent action to prevent a crisis in general practice.
Submitted by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, November 28, 2017
Motion reference: S5M-09218.1
Submitted by: Colin Smyth, South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, November 28, 2017
Motion reference: S5M-09218.2
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Result 29 for, 89 against, 0 abstained, 11 did not vote Disagreed
Submitted by: Alison Johnstone, Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, November 28, 2017
Motion reference: S5M-09218.3
Submitted by: Shona Robison, Dundee City East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, November 28, 2017
Motion reference: S5M-09218.4
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Supported by: Maureen Watt
Result 58 for, 54 against, 6 abstained, 11 did not vote Agreed