Question reference: S6W-00639
- Asked by: Siobhian Brown, MSP for Ayr, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 14 June 2021
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Current status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 July 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government by what date procedures such as earwax removal treatments, will recommence at GP practices.
Answer
General practice has continued to provide services to patients throughout the pandemic. However, due to the pressures of the pandemic some routine disease management has needed to be paused but only in those instances where it is safe to do so.
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.
How to treat ear wax is a clinical decision for GPs; ear syringing is no longer the preferred procedure and many GPs did not routinely provide it before the pandemic led to GPs reducing face to face appointments where possible.