Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP, Liz Smith, has criticised the Scottish Government for being unable to provide figures of how many GPs are registered but not practising.
Liz asked Shona Robison for the figures in a parliamentary question in November and was informed by the health secretary that they did not exist.
The Government confirmed that they are unable to correlate the data of GPs registered with the GMC but not on the performers list.
Liz is calling on the government to make these figures available in the future.
The Scottish Conservatives have pledged to ramp up GP recruitment and training whilst also planning to ring-fence 10% of the healthcare budget for GP services.
Commenting Liz Smith MSP said:
“At a time when our GP services are stretched to the edges you would hope that the Scottish Government would have some idea of the number of GPs that are registered to but not practising.
“Enticing more of these people back to the profession, whether it be those who have left to start a family or those on a career break, will be crucial if we are to plug the gaps in general practice. It is scandalous that the Scottish Government does not have these figures to hand and I have called on Shona Robison to provide them in the future.
“Waiting times for an appointment are on the rise across the country and this is felt keenly in Perth and Kinross, Fife, Stirling and Clackmannanshire. It is high time that the Scottish Government got to the bottom of our GP crisis and that starts with having the correct data to hand.”