The commitment, which includes doubling the proportion of the NHS budget spent on GPs, comes in the party's manifesto for the Scottish Parliament election on 7 May.

Scottish Conservatives health spokesperson Sandesh Gulhane said: ‘The Scottish Conservatives are proposing bold reforms to guarantee every Scot a GP appointment within 48 hours by the end of the next Parliament.

‘We would achieve this by increasing, to 12%, the proportion of the total NHS budget going to general practice and ensuring that any medical student studying in Scotland has guaranteed access to a GP training programme.

‘This would put an end to the 8am rush and ensure that patients get the treatment they need before their medical issues escalate.'

Other manifesto commitments include: a nationwide moratorium on closing any community hospitals or health centres; eliminating corridor care; an updated cancer strategy; above inflation increases in NHS funding; an NHS workforce plan; a One NHS IT platform; and fast-tracking the roll out of a single national NHS app.

The Scottish Conservatives also pledged to oppose any future attempts to centralise social care and take powers away from local authorities.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said the GP commitments meant increasing funding by £350m on top of existing plans in 2028-29, rising to £1bn by 2031-32.

 The IFS commented: ‘Additional funding should help deliver improvements, but the challenge in meeting all the manifesto's objectives for the health system should not be under-estimated.'