Question reference: S6W-00049
- Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 17 May 2021
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Current status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 7 June 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to provide help, guidance and support to the Riverside Medical Centre in Musselburgh, to assist it in providing an acceptable standard of health service to its patients.
Answer
Whilst Scottish Ministers set the strategic policy for the NHS in Scotland, responsibility for service delivery rests locally with Health Boards and GP practices. Practices are contracted to provide general medical services by their local health board and not the Scottish Government. As such, Scottish Ministers are unable to intervene in the service and appointment arrangements of individual practices, but they do expect satisfactory systems to be in place for the benefit of all patients.
East Lothian HSCP have been working closely with the practice and have given support to increase the number of GP appointments available to patients of the practice. The HSCP are also delivering a range of self-referral services that offer patients same-day access to specialist clinical, mental health and MSK physiotherapist support.
The practice have recruited a number of members of staff including call handlers, a Specialist Paramedic, a Clinical Manager/Nurse Practitioner and a further Nurse Practitioner. An additional GP has joined the practice, with another due to join in the summer.