Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
GP contract is welcomed
Cut in bureaucracy lauded
NHS Lanarkshire has welcomed the possible introduction of a new, Scotland-only GP contract.
The Scottish Government wants to cut bureaucracy so GPs can spend more time caring for their patients and less on paperwork.
It is hoped this will cut the workload of doctors and attract more numbers to the GP profession.
If GPs vote for the proposal, the new contract could come into force in April next year.
Dr Chris Mackintosh, medical director for South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership, who oversees primary care across Lanarkshire said: “This is a challenging time for the NHS in general and GP practices in particular.
“But this new contract has the potential to address many of these challenges and help to ease the GP shortage.
“We’re taking a holistic approach to addressing this situation in Lanarkshire through our primary care and mental health transformation programme with the key focus of ensuring that people who need to see a GP can see a GP.
“Our approach also provides patients with access to a wider range and number of healthcare professionals and better opportunities for self-care.
“The new contract, together with the Scottish Government transformation fund, which has made our programme possible, and the creation of the health and social care partnerships, provides a real opportunity for sustainable change and improvement.
“We look forward to working with practices locally to achieve the aims set out in the contract.”
Launching the proposed contract, health minister Shona Robison said: “GPs tell us they want to spend more time with patients and less time on bureaucracy, while patients say they want better access to GPs when they really need them.
“We have listened and, I believe, we have achieved that balance.”
This has the potential to address challenges