The professional body says there is now a 22.8% shortfall in practise funding which makes the NHS in Scotland unsustainable.

Doctors in Scotland have warned that a £290 million funding shortfall threatens the future of the NHS in the country.

BMA Scotland says that the funding practices receive for every patient has been eroded every year since 2008 which means that there is now a 22.8% shortfall in practice funding.

£290 million is required to deliver full funding restoration, which must first stabilise general practice and then grow the GP workforce to improve access and services for patients.

“This means practices simply do not have the resources required to employ all the staff they need – and in particular GPs – at a time when demand is going up at a rapid rate,” said Iain Morrison, chair of BMA Scottish general practitioners committee.

“We know that access to GPs is undeniably a real issue and patients can struggle to get an appointment at their surgery in a timely manner,” he continued.

He went on to say that there is currently only one GP in Scotland for every 1,735 people when that used to be every 1,515 people.

Risk of failing

BMA Scotland says that the current funding gap is having a huge impact on the provision of services for patients.

The registered trade union and professional body for doctors in Scotland has launched a new campaign which will include posters in GP surgeries explaining the issues to help patients understand why they may be struggling to get the service or access they want and need. Patients are also being urged to “Stand with your Surgery” and back the call for general practice to receive more funding so that surgeries are better able to serve their communities.

“It is clear we desperately need more GPs in Scotland. But we have seen a reduction in the number of whole-time equivalent GPs despite the Scottish government’s promise to increase the number of GPs working in Scotland by at least 800 by 2027,” he said arguing that far more in terms of preventative health and a more individualised health experience could be achieved with one GP for every 1,000 people.

Unless the £290 million funding shortfall is delivered, Morrison said that it will leave general practice at risk of failing.

“We provide 90% of patient contact and without general practice, the NHS simply cannot survive,” he said.