The looming crisis in Scotland’s primary healthcare system is now directly impacting on the care available to patients in Fife, the leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats has warned.
Just weeks after Mid Scotland and Fife Liberal Democrat MSP Willie Rennie claimed that a dozen Fife medical practices are struggling to find GPs, as part of Scotland’s healthcare “crisis”, Auchtermuchty Health Centre has revealed details of its staffing crisis and how this will impact on patients.
The health centre has two vacancies for doctors and since last month has lost 11 sessions per week. This equates to more than 8,000 appointments per year.
Patients have now been told that with immediate effect there will be no bookable appointments, reception staff may be tasked with asking more questions to triage illness, nurse practitioner appointments may be offered instead of GP appointments and a warning has been sounded not to run out of medication.
Last month Mr Rennie raised the issue during a fiery First Minister’s Questions session, where he cited problems with primary healthcare and a “major shortage” of doctors.
An NHS Fife source said practices in Auchtermuchty, Ladybank, Newburgh, Glenrothes, Kennoway, Leven, Methil, Lochore, Cardenden, Kelty, Dunfermline and Lochgelly are finding it difficult to recruit.
Commenting on the latest Auchtermuchty situation, Mr Rennie said: “I know the staff at the Auchtermuchty practice have been working incredibly hard to cope and have been driven to these measures.”
The latest Auchtermuchty Health Centre newsletter states: “Despite a £3,000 advertising campaign, we have only had one person expressing an interest and even if they do apply, they could not start until late in the autumn.
“We are trying everything we can to attract new doctors and find locum cover, but as you may have seen in the national media, there is a nationwide shortage of general practitioners.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said previously she did not accept the characterisation portrayed by Mr Rennie.
The Scottish Government will be holding discussions over the summer recess about reconfiguring the health service to meet the emerging demographic challenges, she said.
NHS Fife medical director Dr Frances Elliot said: “Whilst we are aware that Auchtermuchty Health Centre has experienced difficulties in recruiting permanent general practitioners to its practice team, we are confident that its patients will continue to receive a high standard of care.
“NHS Fife is aware of the existing vacancies at Auchtermuchty Health Centre and we are working to provide recruitment support.”