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Chamber and committees

Improving Access to Primary Care

  • Submitted by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats.
  • Date lodged: Monday, 19 February 2024
  • Motion reference: S6M-12214
  • Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, 21 February 2024

Motions as amended

That the Parliament notes that, every day, public services continue to face the aftermath of the biggest shock faced since the establishment of the NHS – dealing with the combined impact of a pandemic, Brexit, which Scotland overwhelmingly rejected, and a cost of living crisis, amplified by catastrophic UK Government mismanagement; recognises that, in the face of over a decade of UK Government austerity, the Scottish Government’s draft Budget will invest over £2.1 billion in primary care to improve preventative care in the community; welcomes that the Scottish Government’s commitment to NHS staff has meant that Scotland is the only part of the UK not to lose any days to strikes; further welcomes an increase of 271 additional GPs in headcount terms since 2017, and a record expansion of GP speciality training, which will see over 1,200 GP trainees in Scotland in the next year; recognises the unique challenges that rural and island communities face and therefore welcomes the Scottish Government’s intention to publish a Remote and Rural Workforce Recruitment Strategy by the end of 2024; welcomes the expanded primary care multi-disciplinary team workforce, with over 4,700 staff working in these services, including physiotherapy, pharmacy and phlebotomy; notes the doubling of mental health spending in cash terms from £651 million in 2006-07 to £1.3 billion in 2021-22, and that, as a result of that investment, child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) staffing has more than doubled; highlights the investment of over £100 million in community-based mental health and wellbeing support for children, young people and adults since 2020; acknowledges that the Scottish Government has exceeded its commitment to fund over 800 additional mental health workers in numerous settings, including over 350 in GP practices; welcomes the ongoing £1 billion NHS Recovery Plan to increase capacity and deliver reform, and pays tribute to, and thanks, the entire health and care workforce for its unstinting efforts to provide services through a very challenging period.


Vote

Result 63 for, 53 against, 0 abstained, 13 did not vote Vote Passed

Scottish National Party

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Scottish Labour

Scottish Green Party

Scottish Liberal Democrats

For
0
Against
Abstained
0
Did not vote
0

No Party Affiliation

For
0
Against
0
Abstained
0
Did not vote

Alba Party

For
Against
0
Abstained
0
Did not vote
0

Original motion text

That the Parliament notes the Scottish Government’s longstanding commitment to recruit an extra 800 GPs by 2027 and the views of bodies, including the Royal College of General Practitioners and Audit Scotland, that it is not on track to meet this target; regrets that there is still insufficient access to mental health practitioners working alongside GPs and the £30 million in-year cut to the mental health budget, which Scottish Government documents show will affect primary care; understands that rural and remote communities are among those being severely impacted by high levels of workforce vacancies, presenting barriers to diagnosis, referrals and treatments, and potentially exerting greater pressure on other parts of the NHS, such as accident and emergency, and calls, therefore, on the Scottish Government to rewrite the failed NHS Recovery Plan to get recruitment and retention back on track and to build stronger local health services by expanding the range of services and specialists available, including in mental health and physiotherapy, to meet demand.

Accepted amendments

Motion ref. S6M-12214.2

Improving Access to Primary Care - Amendment - Amendment

Submitted by: Neil Gray, Airdrie and Shotts, Scottish National Party, Date lodged: Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Supported by: Jenni Minto, Maree Todd
Current status: Taken in the chamber on Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Result 63 for, 53 against, 0 abstained, 13 did not vote Vote Passed

Defeated amendments

Motion ref. S6M-12214.1

Improving Access to Primary Care - Amendment - Amendment

Submitted by: Paul Sweeney, Glasgow, Scottish Labour, Date lodged: Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Supported by: Carol Mochan
Current status: Taken in the chamber on Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Result 53 for, 62 against, 1 abstained, 13 did not vote Vote Defeated

Amendments that have not been voted on

Motion ref. S6M-12214.3

Improving Access to Primary Care - Amendment - Amendment

Submitted by: Dr. Sandesh Gulhane, Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date lodged: Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Current status: Taken in the chamber on Wednesday, February 21, 2024