Lack Of Funding 'Harming NHS'

GPs say patient care is being hampered by a lack of investment in the health service, according to a poll from the BMA.

Almost four out of ten GPs feel their current practices aren't adequate to deliver services, with 6 in 10 saying they can't provide additional support.

More than half of 441 practices also said they's seen no investment or refurbishments in the last decade.

The key findings from the BMA survey launched today, and answered by 441 practices in Scotland found:

• Almost four out of ten GP practices feel that their current practices are not adequate to deliver services to patients.
• Six out of ten GP practices feel that their facilities are too small to deliver extra or additional services to patients. 
• Just over half of GPs have to share consulting rooms or ‘hot desk’.  
• This results in a range of constraints on GP services including restricting the number of appointments practices can provide (61%)
• And the ability to provide a full range of services and accommodate the full primary healthcare team (68% and 69% respectively). 
• More than half (53%) of practices have seen no investment or refurbishment in the last 10 years. 
• Six out of ten say their practice is not big enough to provide vital training and education programmes for GPs and their staff.