Humza Yousaf says the experiences of patients at Old Aberdeen Medical Practice were “not acceptable”, weeks after he declined to intervene over concerns about access to doctors.
The Scottish health secretary is now asking officials to contact health and social care chiefs in Aberdeen to determine the improvement plans being put in place.
Recent figures revealed fewer than half of patients who responded to a survey about services at Newburn Health Centre – the same management as Old Aberdeen Medical Centre – positively rated their care.
The survey was completed by 99 patients out of around 18,000 – with 46% describing the service as positive, 26% negative and 28% neutral.
The practice’s score is below the Scottish average of 66% and is the second lowest patient care rating in Aberdeen, behind Whinhill which is also now privately run.
Old Aberdeen was one of four surgeries to become privately run in March, after a controversial management shake-up by city health chiefs.
North-east Labour MSP Mercedes Villalba raised the recent survey results with Mr Yousaf at Holyrood last week – and followed it up with renewed demands for action.
She said it shows “patients are dissatisfied with GP services at medical practices which were put out to tender in Aberdeen”.
‘Far beyond acceptable’
Speaking to the Press and Journal, Ms Villalba said: “The strength of feeling from those who participated in the Health and Care Experience Survey has forced this acknowledgement and for that I am thankful to those who contributed to it.
“I trust that now improvement plans are to be put in place, hopefully monitored by the Cabinet Secretary, we will see a better service for all patients in the city in the future.
“This action from the Scottish Government is a testament to the persistence, determination and tenacity of patients and staff.”
Multiple questions were raised at Holyrood on health last week, shortly before the parliament suspended business after the Queen’s death.
At the time, the health secretary said: “Some of the scores in the Heath and Social Care Experience Survey for Newburn practice for example were far beyond acceptable, they were not acceptable.”
He continued: “Some of those scores were far below the Scottish average, some were above the Scottish average which we have to recognise too.
“But some of the scores, particularly in relation to accessibility, the ability to get an appointment within three working days, those scores were particularly low.
“So, I will ask my officials to reach out to local partners to determine the improvement plans that those practices will be putting in place to give a reassurance around the actions that they will be taking to see an improvement in that patient experience.”
U-turn
The U-turn from Mr Yousaf comes after he said last month he would not intervene over concerns raised around GP access at Old Aberdeen.
Patients at the surgery said they faced difficulties accessing their GP and others reported a decline in patient care and issues with the E-consult services.
In 2020, city health chiefs developed plans to transfer the GP surgeries they managed to become privately run in a bid to make them more sustainable.
In November, health chiefs sent out more than 500,000 surveys to homes across the country asking for feedback on their local doctor with just under one quarter responding.
An Aberdeen City Health & Social Care Partnership spokeswoman said: “We have not been contacted by the Scottish Government regarding this matter.
“On receipt of correspondence, we will respond directly.”
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