Health Secretary Neil Gray has rejected warnings that 'challenging' GP targets will be missed.
The Scottish Government promised in 2017 to recruit 800 extra GPs over a 10-year period amid growing challenges in accessing appointments.
However, statistics released earlier this week suggests the target is now unlikely to be met, with the British Medical Association (BMA) Scotland estimating it could be another 25 years before it is achieved.
The figures showed that fewer than 200 local doctors have been appointed in eight years, with Scotland's GP headcount currently sitting at 4,582 - up from 4,285 in 2017.
That means Scottish ministers would need to add around 600 more medics over the next two years to meet the pledge.
Despite warnings from senior medics, Mr Gray has said it is not correct to say the target cannot be achieved until 2050.
In an exclusive interview, The Herald put the BMA Scotland warnings to the Health Secretary.
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"I don't think that's the case," he said.
The Health Secretary said the Scottish Government had introduced 360 additional GPs since targets were introduced in 2017.
However, BMA Scotland has condemned the Scottish Government's use of the full-time equivalent measure, stating that it is not a true reflection on labour and access to services.
Instead, the medical association wants to see whole-time equivalent (WTE) used, with the latest GP workforce surgery showing that this measure has meant GP numbers increased 4% in 2025 to 3,591.
That is lower than the 2023 figure of 3,675 - but it is the first time the WTE figure has risen since 2019.
Mr Gray told The Herald: "We've got a record number of GPs in training, and we have obviously put a significant additional resource into general practice in order to support recruitment and retention.
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"We saw encouraging signs where we saw an increase for the first time since 2019 whole-time equivalent GPs.
"In terms of accessibility of general practice, patient survey data from the health and social care survey shows that 84% of patients are telling us that they are able to see their GP on an urgent basis within two days.
"Yes, I grant you that it's not good enough and I want us to be doing more so that people are able to see their GP faster but there is a huge amount of work going on currently within general practice and a huge pressure on general practice.
"We need to do more and we need to provide more capacity. I am looking to provide more funding to allow for more GPs to be recruited."
Dr Iain Morrison, chairman of the BMA Scottish general practitioners committee, said Scotland has "nowhere near" the number of GPs it needs to treat its ageing population.
Meanwhile, Audit Scotland warned in March that ministers were unlikely to meet their goal.
The Herald asked Mr Gray again to confirm whether the Scottish Government can meet its target.
He said: "It’s going to be challenging there’s no two ways about it but we do have a record number of GPs in training, 1,200 now in training.
“What we need now is to ensure that those who have gone through training are able to be employed. I recognise the financial pressures that those who run GP practices are under.
“The decision was taken by the UK Government to increase their employment national insurance contributions.
"That adds to the financial pressure they’re under, and alongside the increased investment that we have put into general practice – £100 million over the last two years, £15 million just last week – we’re also increasing the level of provision for what we describe as multi-disciplinary teams.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said: "The Scottish Government is absolutely miles away from delivering the 800 extra GPs it promised by 2027.
"General practice is overwhelmed. People are ringing their surgeries hundreds of times to try and get an appointment. GPs tell me that they can rack up nearly 100 separate contacts with patients in a single day."
