Inverurie Medical Practice has performed a sensational u-turn and has decided it will now continue to run GP services in the town – after previously saying there was not enough GPs.
The practice was the latest to hand back its contract to Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership in March, adding to the six that already had.
Concerns had been raised by the Inverurie partnership that they would be unable to deliver what’s required of them due to a nationwide shortage in GPs.
However, after carrying out a review, they have told health bosses they now intend to continue with the contract.
What’s changed at Inverurie Medical Practice?
Inverurie Medical Practice partners stressed the initial decision to withdraw from the contract was “extremely difficult” to make.
However, they stressed the doctors were not satisfied they could continue to provide the level of care they wanted without extra recruitment.
Since that decision, new methods of working have been investigated with plans to bolster a multidisciplinary team that can fulfil a variety of roles.
Dr Sheeja Kolangara, a partner at Inverurie Medical Practice, said: “The decision to end our contract was incredibly difficult and as a partnership of GPs we really felt that we had done all that we could, however, we have come to realise that there is so much more that we can do.
“We have developed a new business plan for the practice which will see us further develop our multidisciplinary team and improve our internal working practices to ensure continued and sustainable, excellent care for our patients.
“Whilst GP recruitment will remain challenging we believe that making the changes we have identified we will be in a good position to continue into the future.”
Dr Chris Wilkins, another partner, explained the practice had been operating under “significant and sustained” pressure in recent years.
He added: “The last few months have acted as a catalyst for all of us to take a long hard look at how we are working and how we might change to ensure that we can continue to deliver high quality care to our patients long into the future.
“I can honestly say that I, along with my partners, am really excited and looking froward to the future.”
GP surgeries under pressure across Scotland
Inverurie Medical Practice is one of the largest in Scotland with a register of about 25,000 patients.
Nationally, GP surgeries are struggling to recruit and retain the doctors needed to fulfil increasing demand from patients.
In November last year the British Medical Association estimated there may be as many as 312 full-time GP vacancies in Scotland.
Dr Andrew Buist, BMA Scotland’s GP committee chairman, warned the system was not designed to cope with the 500,000 weekly appointments now issued nationally.
He added: “We’re not putting the resources into primary care into GP where it’s most needed. It is the foundation of the NHS, and if we undervalue it and under-resource it, it will crumble.
“And the rest of the healthcare system will come tumbling down.”
North East MSP Tess White has welcomed the change of decision from the GPs but continues to fear for the future of local services.
She said: “Residents want to be treated as close to home as possible and securing the future of Inverurie will provide comfort to patients knowing they can still be seen locally.
“But the wider picture for the north-east shows our GP surgeries are in a deep crisis.
“Our exhausted doctors are demoralised as the numbers recruited are not matching those leaving the sector while patient demand is growing.”
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