WIREDGOV

Health Secretary announces new £40m primary care development fund

An additional £40m of Scottish Government funding is to be invested in GP and primary care services over the next year, Health Secretary Alex Neil announced today.

This new primary care development fund will be used at local and national level to support new ways of delivering local GP and primary care services that can better support the changing demographics of the Scottish population.

It will help fund local initiatives to improve GP and primary care services where there are particular pressures, such as in deep end practices and rural/island communities, and in practices where there is an above average number of elderly and very elderly patients as well.

Announcing the £40m increase in funding, the Health Secretary also highlighted that investment in Scotland’s GP services was now at record levels.

He said: “Despite substantial Westminster cuts to Scotland’s budget, we’ve worked with health boards to ensure that there is now more money than ever being invested into local GP services.

“Our investment in primary care has seen the number of GPs in Scotland increase by 5.7 per cent under this Government, and this year we’ve ensured a GP pay increase and agreed a new three-year GP contract that will bring a period of stability for services.

“However, I believe we can go further and utilising the new £40m primary care development fund we can ensure our GPs and primary care professionals can help evolve our health service to meet the changing needs of the people of Scotland.

“GPs and primary care professionals will be vital to ensuring that health and social care are effectively integrated from April next year, and this new investment will help them design and implement primary care services that best meet the needs of their communities.

“GPs will be empowered to develop initiatives that address challenges in workload, tackle health inequalities in deprived and rural areas, and meet the changing needs of the people of Scotland.”

Notes To Editors

Background

• The increase in funding expands the Scottish Government’s Integration Fund, now worth £173.5m, which is being used to support the integration of health and social care services
• In March 2014, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing allocated £10m for 15/16 to support telehealth and telecare projects.
• In March 2014, the Cabinet Secretary also announced a 1 per cent pay rise for general practitioners as part of a £6 million investment.