GP pledge is another empty promise

If you've been paying attention to the news this week then you will have likely heard about John Swinney's Walk-in GP service announcement.

- BY WEST SCOTLAND LABOUR MSP PAUL O'KANE

At his party's conference the First Minister announced that he wants to create a network of 15 walk-in GP services that will be open seven days a week.

There's no doubt that, from John Swinney and the SNP's point of view, they think they've just pulled the rabbit out of the hat.

But if you're someone who has relied on the NHS in recent years, or if you're a GP working in the health service, then you'll know this pledge just creates more questions than answers - and it didn't take long for those questions to start getting asked.

The Royal College of General Practitioners, who weren't consulted about Swinney's GP pledge, have already raised questions about where the workforce that these walk-in centres would require will come from. After all, in the last decade the number of whole-time equivalent GPs and the number of GP practices in Scotland have reduced.