Scot Lib Dems reveal GP posts readvertised up to 10 times and left empty for years

Scottish Liberal Democrats have today piled pressure on the Scottish Government to address the GP crisis as they revealed that currently vacant GP posts in NHS Fife, Lothian, Highland, Tayside and Grampian have had to be readvertised or left empty for years.

Freedom of information requests submitted by the Scottish Liberal Democrats revealed that:

• In Fife, 8 currently unfilled GP roles have had to be readvertised, including a vacancy at the Methilhaven practice which has been vacant since 2017, vacancies at the Linburn Rd Health Centre since August 2019, four vacancies at the Valleyfield practice ongoing since 2020, and a vacancy at the Links Practice, Burntisland repeatedly advertised but empty since September 2021.

• NHS Tayside noted that Brechin Health Centre currently has 5.43 Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) vacant GP posts which have been advertised on more than one occasion and warned that these have been unfilled “for many years”  

• In Grampian, 4 currently unfilled GP vacancies have had to be readvertised, one role has now been advertised on ten occasions and has been vacant since October 2017.

• In Lothian, 5 currently unfilled GP vacancies have had to be readvertised, including a role having to be advertised 6 times without being filled.  

• In the Highlands, 11 currently unfilled GP vacancies have had to be readvertised including for a Carbost Surgery vacancy advertised on five occasions without a single applicant which has been unfilled since November 2021.  

Willie Rennie said:

“The people of Scotland are justifiably proud of our NHS, but years of SNP mismanagement and neglect of local health services has left millions unable to see their GP.

“That’s a huge issue, particularly in Fife, the North East and the Highlands where we are seeing so many GP roles unfilled.

“As Health Secretary Humza Yousaf did next to nothing to secure the future of general practice. His appointed successor must do a far better job.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats would increase the number of training places for GPs, introduce an urgent burnout prevention strategy and launch a staff assembly that values their expertise. We would also embed more nurses, mental health professionals, dieticians and physiotherapists with GPs so that people can get a wider range of diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care within their community. This would reduce pressure on GPs and on our hospitals and paramedics, saving crucial time and money elsewhere in the NHS.”