The number of GPs registered in Scotland has risen to 5,134, though the declining number of practices means patient lists for individual surgeries are growing longer, the latest figures show.

A further 89 GPs were registered in 2020, Public Health Scotland said, while the growing number of elderly patients over the last decade presented "significant challenges".

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The number of GP practices in Scotland decreased by 9% from 1,019 in 2010 to 928 in 2020, reflecting a trend towards larger practices with more GPs serving a larger number of patients.

Public Health Scotland's annual report on the GP workforce found the number of patients aged 65 or over had increased by 21% between 2010 and 2020.

The report said: "It is clear that there are considerably more patients aged 65-plus now than in 2010, which presents a significant challenge for primary care services.

"Older patients are more likely to have multi-morbidities, to require longer consultation times (including home visits), and to access GP services with greater frequency than younger patients."

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Patient list sizes also varied widely between GP surgeries - those in rural locations can have a few hundred patients while those in urban areas will cater to thousands.

The report said: "The average (mean) practice list size in Scotland for 2020 is approximately 6,200 patients.

"There is a wide range of practices sizes, from some with fewer than 100 patients, to some with more than 20,000."

Meanwhile, details of payments made by the NHS to GPs in the 2019/20 financial year were also released on Tuesday, covering the year up to March 2020.

Most practices in Scotland are run by GPs on nationally negotiated contracts.
A total of £894.6 million was made in non-dispensing payments to GPs, an increase of 6.8% compared to the previous financial year.