GP shortage: Fresh calls to improve services to patients at Kinghorn surgery

It is one of Fife now under the management of the health authority and run direct through the Health and Social Care Partnership using a mix of GPs and locums to care for patients.

Alex Rowley MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, joined local councillor, Julie MacDougall, and Kinghorn Community Council representatives to discuss the surgery’s issues with health chiefs.

They met last week with Nicky Connor, director of Fife Health and Social Care Partnership, and Bryan Davies, head of primary and preventative care services.

David Torrance, MSP for Kirkcaldy, has already raised patients’ concerns, describing the lack of GPs as “totally unacceptable.”

Mr Davies confirmed that the Kinghorn practice is one of five practices that have been taken over by NHS Fife

The Partnership had tried without success to recruit new GPs, and was now offering different contracts and opportunities in an attempt to encourage applications.

Mr Rowley said; “There are pressures on these services and I welcome that fact that the partnership will be looking at the concerns raised and reporting back to the community council on actions they will be taking to make improvements.

“As a result of a failure to workforce plan and train enough GPs at a national level we are seeing more and more pressure on local services.

“Steps being taken to widen the services around other trained medical staff will help but need to be communicated better.”

Cllr MacDougall called for the public to kept better informed of what was going on behind the scenes.

She added: “I have been contacted by many locals who have had difficulties in trying to access services.

“I know there are many pressures, but we must find a way forward that ensures people who need to be seen are seen and given the correct support that they require.”

Health bosses are due to attend a meeting with the community council in October.

Cllr MacDougall said: “I hope more information will be forthcoming on the actions being taken to get the services fully functioning.”

The problems facing Kinghorn’s busy surgery have sparked concerns from residents worried over the reliance of locums to cover the workload.

Mr Torrance said: “This is totally unacceptable for the people of the town, and I have been in correspondence with residents who are quite rightly very concerned about the current reliance of locum doctors.

“Many GP services remain under extreme pressure post pandemic due to backlogs and staff sickness.

“NHS Fife’s ability to attract GPs from abroad has also been severely curtailed by Brexit and changes by the Westminster Government to the rules around the pension scheme that allows GPs to return to work after retiring are no longer viable.

“The UK Government has created a deeply troubling situation. We now face a shortage of health professionals which will take time to replenish.”

NHS Fife and the Fife Health and Social Care Partnership took over the running of Kinghorn Medical Practice in April 2021 after the GP partners ended their General Medical Services contract.