The clinics, which would be staffed by GPs, nurses and support staff, will be open seven days a week, 12:00-20:00, in addition to existing primary care services. They will provide a range of same-day assessments, diagnostics and treatment.
Clinics in sites across Scotland will proceed initially to test the benefits for patients.
Health secretary, Neil Gray, said: ‘Improving access to primary care and shifting more care into the community is central for this Government. As part of this, we are taking forward new and innovative ways to improve access to primary care, including the benefits of local walk-in GP clinics.
‘These will be in addition to core GP services and will offer additional flexibility for patients. These will be designed in collaboration with NHS boards, GPs and other partners to ensure they strengthen existing services.'
In response, RCGP Scotland chair Dr Chris Provan, said: ‘Our concern is that this proposal does not address the major barriers to good access: critical workforce shortages and unmanageable workload. While there has been a modest increase in whole-time equivalent GPs over the past year, Scotland still has fewer GPs today than it did a decade ago. This is the fundamental problem.
‘GPs will have serious concerns about the delivery and impact of this proposal, and we will await clarity on the implementation detail. Who will staff these new services and their extended, weekend hours? How will continuity of care be preserved, when patients benefit enormously from knowing and trusting their regular GP? Where will these services be located, when many GP practice premises are not fit for purpose and are waiting for long overdue capital investment?
‘The best way to deliver improved patient access and care would be to provide the level of investment needed to overcome the impact of cumulative years of underfunding and the implementation of a long term workforce strategy to increase the number of GPs. Only then can we offer the quality access and continuity of care that patients deserve.'
