The number of GPs working in Scotland has fallen to its lowest level for five years, according to new figures.

Some 24% of practices now report vacancies for doctors, according to the latest survey of the medical workforce in the country. This compared with 22% in 2015.

According to the Scottish government’s Information Services Division, there were 3,575 whole-time equivalent GP posts filled by doctors last year. This was 160 fewer than in 2013 and a reduction of 70 since 2015.

The survey found a nine percentage point increase in nurses working in practices during the same period.

Scottish Royal College of GPs chair Dr Carey Lunan, a doctor in Edinburgh, said the findings were “very concerning.”

Dr Lunan said: “We need action to tackle the GP shortage sooner rather than later to ensure that GPs can continue to deliver high quality, safe patient care. Many practices across the country are already at tipping point.

“Growing the GP workforce is crucial to ensure that there are enough highly trained medical generalists to provide the community-based, patient-centred care that has provided the backbone of the NHS for decades.”

The British Medical Association said it hoped the country’s new GP contract – which has been controversial in some rural areas – wold help to tackle the problem.

Scottish GP committee chair Dr Alan McDevitt said: “The fact that almost one in four of the responding GP practices reported current GP vacancies shows that recruitment and retention problems continue to be an issue across Scotland.

“The new GP contract, which will be implemented in April, will start to address the significant workload pressures that are currently being felt by GPs and their practice staff. It offers stability and security of funding for practices in Scotland and will help to reduce the business risk of being a GP.

“I hope that young doctors will be encouraged by the direction we are going in to choose a career in general practice.”