Funding increase awarded to GPs

23rd May 2015

£9.8 million additional investment in primary care.

General practitioners in Scotland will receive an independently recommended one per cent pay increase in 2015/16, the Scottish Government has confirmed today.

In total £7.6 million will be added to the value of the GP contract - of which £3 million provides for a one per cent pay increase for GPs with £4.6 million allocated towards the costs of running their practices.

On top of this, the Scottish Government is also providing a further £2.2 million to GPs to fund the cost of the population growth in 2014/15.

The one per cent pay increase meets the recommendations of the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration (DDRB), who advise UK governments on rates of pay for doctors and dentists.

Health Secretary Shona Robison said: "I am pleased to be able confirm today that the Scottish Government will increase funding for general practice again in this financial year.

“We considered the recommendations made by the DDRB very carefully when setting funding for the coming year. This additional investment of £9.8 million is part of our commitment to continuing to support, build upon and sustain Scottish general practice.

“To do this, we are working collaboratively with the GP profession to look out how primary care can be delivered sustainably in the future. We have already made changes, such as agreeing a three-year contract that gives GPs a significant period of stability, reducing bureaucracy and freeing up staff to spend more time with patients. Longer-term, we are also working to completely re-examine the GP contract for 2017 and beyond, with a view to developing a brand new contract that meets the needs of Scotland's GPs and their patients.

“This Government greatly values our GPs, who play a valuable role in delivering front line health care services which are at the heart of communities. It is important we continue to build on the progress we have made, to deliver the real change both patients and the profession want to see."