Graham Simpson MSP has condemned the fall in the number of GP practices under 11 years of SNP rule.
The number of GP practices has fallen by 10 per cent in Lanarkshire since 2007 under an SNP Government. The number of practices has fallen in Lanarkshire from 115 in 2007 to 106 in 2017.
Graham Simpson MSP said “It is extremely worrying to see the number of GP practices falling over the past 10 years across Scotland and Lanarkshire. It will be very concerning to communities across Lanarkshire that the number of practices under the SNP fell by 10 per cent.These statistics paint an extremely bleak picture for GP surgeries right across Scotland. They highlight the insufficient provision of primary care provision for my constituents – despite increasing demand throughout Lanarkshire.
“Under the SNP Government, general practice is on the sick list. Practice are continually struggling to fill vacancies and cope with the increasing demand which comes from an ageing population. The SNP saw this coming, but instead sat on their hands and let this crisis unfold on the Scottish people. At First Minister’s Questions this week, Nicola Sturgeon failed to recognise the impact on NHS primary care provision in the face of mounting evidence and the strong voice of the Scottish Conservatives.
“These alarming statistics underline the importance of our Save Our Surgeries campaign, which aims to reinstate the role of GPs as a vital cog in our health system. If general practice is not fit for purpose, the whole NHS suffers.”