Scottish practices are to get funding to modernise phone systems alongside new support to bring in a range of healthcare professionals, it has been announced. The Scottish government announced a total of £82.6 million to expand teams within practices and “modernise systems.” It says that new clinicians will include pharmacists and nurses to assist with…

Patients in rural areas are generally happier with their GP and local practice than those in suburban districts, according to a new analysis. Researchers at the University of Aberdeen said the findings might help recruitment to work in remote parts of the countryside. They report that patients were “significantly more satisfied” in all questions about…

I have had it! I’m more fed up than I’ve felt in a long time. I have spent long months and many sleepless nights worrying about my unvaccinated staff. The thought that I’d have to fight to recruit new staff amongst a smaller pool of candidates, while every other practice was doing the same thing,…

Since April 2020 there has been a sharp increase in the number of visitors to GP practice websites. With patients relying more and more on practice websites to access services, there is a clear need to ensure their digital experience is as straightforward as visiting the surgery in person. Every patient who fails to find…

Practices will no longer have to require that all patient facing staff have a full COVID vaccination course, Health Secretary Sajid Javid confirmed last night. The repeal of the mandatory vaccination law will be subject to a formal consultation and parliamentary approval – and clinicians may face pressure from their regulators if they choose to…

GP leaders have reacted in anger to reports the government is planning to “nationalise” their profession. No plans have been published but, according to a leaked letter written by Health Secretary Sajid Javid, it could be done by stealth. According to the report in The Times, Mr Javid is enthusiastic to encourage NHS organisations to…

Practices have been told they can return to normal and downgrade the COVID booster campaign – in a move interpreted as heralding more face to face appointments. It came as the latest data showed that last month was the busiest December on record – with practices delivering 20% more appointments than two years previously. These…