GPs ‘somewhat dismayed’ by plans for walk-in clinics, Gray told

Doctors were “somewhat dismayed” by the Government’s announcement of walk-in GP clinics, the Health Secretary has been told.

First Minister John Swinney set out the plans at the SNP’s conference in October, with 15 facilities to be opened as part of a pilot beginning next year.

During a question and answer session with doctors at the annual Scottish Local Medical Committee conference in Aberdeen on Friday – hosted by BMA Scotland – Neil Gray heard of the issues some doctors have with the plans, the cost of which is initially estimated at around £30 million.

Dr Neil MacRitchie – a GP at NHS Lothian – said: “Many of us have been surprised and somewhat dismayed regarding your Government’s walk-in centre announcement, which we feel, based on experience of similar centres elsewhere in the UK, will be inefficient and may widen healthcare access inequities.”

Dr MacRitchie asked what the criteria are for the success of the policy and if there would be a change if they are not met.

Responding, Mr Gray said he does not see the centres being a “challenge” to the current general practice model.

“I in no way wish to see displacement, this is about providing additional flexibility for patients,” he said.

“We know the challenges that there are for people in order to access services, I want to make sure that we are offering people the opportunity to relieve themselves of attending accident and emergency and using that as the front door of our NHS.

“That is why the initial part of the design process has been done in such a way as to straddle in-hours and out-of-hours, so that we are going after those patients that feel that their only route to get access to treatment is to go to A&E.”

The criteria for success, he added, is about “relieving pressure” on GPs and other healthcare services, as well as ending the 8am rush for appointments.

“That is my commitment to Neil (MacRitchie) and to wider colleagues – first of all, this is not about displacement, this is not about challenging the general practice model, this is about providing additionality and it is a pilot that we will be learning from and GPs and boards will be involved in its design,” Mr Gray added.