News / Call for more junior doctor placements in islands
SHETLAND MSP Tavish Scott is calling for a greater number of junior doctor placements in the isles and other rural areas to help address NHS Shetland’s ongoing difficulties in recruiting GPs.
Figures released on Monday by NHS Education Scotland showed a 27 per cent increase in the number of foundation-level junior doctors selecting Scotland as their first preference for continuing their training.
Doctors’ trade union, the British Medical Association (BMA), has suggested the growing desire to train in Scotland is a direct result of the damaging dispute over contracts with UK health secretary Jeremy Hunt, and subsequent reassurances from the SNP administration at Holyrood.
Scott said Shetland had faced a “GP recruitment crisis” for a number of years with several permanent posts unfilled.
That has seen NHS Shetland’s spending on temporary doctors, or locums, rising and some GP practices have been merged.
He highlighted how Dr Susan Bowie has been using social media to advertise for GP assistance at the Hillswick practice.
“It’s encouraging to see more junior doctors wanting to come to Scotland,” Scott said. “Shetland faces a GP staffing crisis so the Scottish Government needs to help island health boards where the need for medical professionals is at its greatest.
“There are many ways to address the current shortages but I want the Scottish Government to explore introducing a placement for junior doctors in rural areas once they have qualified.”
He said he had raised the matter with health secretary Shona Robison during the last parliamentary session and she said it was being looked at.
“We spend a great deal on training tomorrow’s doctors but many move into other areas of medicine rather than becoming GPs,” Scott added.
“Placements in rural areas will keep smaller GP practices viable as well as giving new GPs important experience as they begin their careers. That looks like win-win to me so we desperately need imagination and determination from the government to make a difference.”
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