Ministers 600 short on new GPs pledge

THE SNP has been told its promise to deliver 800 GPs is “in tatters” after figures showed fewer than 200 have been added.

- By Craig Meighan

Ministers promised in 2017 to recruit 800 local doctors over 10 years but Scotland has a GP headcount of 4,582 - up from 4,385 in 2017.

That means the Scottish Government would have to add around another 600 GPs over the next two years to keep its pledge made eight years ago.

‘Audit Scotland warned in March ministers were unlikely to meet their goal.

BMA Scotland said if trends persist, the Scottish Government would not meet its goal until 2050.