SCOTTISH ministers have been accused of failing to fund general practice health care after a new survey found one in four Scots patients cannot get an appointment at their local surgery within a week.
The Royal College of General Practitioners Scotland (RCGP Scotland), which commissioned the survey, said the situation was even more alarming as many patients do not try to get other help. About 11 per cent said they would not take a later appointment or seek help elsewhere.
A petition signed by 21,000 Scots will be delivered to the office of First Minister Alex Salmond by RCGP Scotland tomorrow, as part of a UK-wide campaign.
RCGP Scotland chairman Dr John Gillies, who will hand in the petition, said: "When the crisis in general practice clearly shows patient safety to be under threat, it is incumbent upon the Scottish Government to act … A real-terms drop in funding share of 2.2 per cent, as outlined in the draft budget 2015-16, can only deepen the current very real crisis.
Scottish Labour's public health spokesman Richard Simpson said: "The pressure on GPs and primary care grows every year, yet the Government fails to deal with it."
Health Secretary Alex Neil said GP funding was at a record level. "The number of GPs in Scotland has increased by 5.7 per cent under this government," he said. Some 87 per cent of patients rated their GP surgery care last year as excellent or good.
Mr Neil added: "The latest GP contract substantially cuts bureaucracy to allow GPs more time with patients. It also requires every single GP surgery in Scotland to review their access arrangements to ensure patients could get prompt access to appointments."
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