SNP pledges network of walk-in GP surgeries open until 8pm across Scotland

The First Minister has announced that the Scottish Government will open a nationwide network of walk-in GP surgeries across the country.

Speaking on the final day of the SNP conference in Aberdeen on Monday, John Swinney said it will “break from the status quo” and “add to the care we already value”.

He said the new walk-in services will be staffed by GPs and nurses from noon to 8pm seven days a week, and he said people will not need to call for an appointment.

The Government will start by launching 15 across Scotland, with the first “up and running within the year”.

“This is just the start,” the First Minister said.

“We will expand this network, but it will begin with fifteen sites across Scotland. They will deliver over one million additional GP and nurse appointments.”

Swinney added: “That is personalised care, on your doorstep. That is self-government working. That’s the SNP Government working for Scotland.”

John Swinney spoke on the final day of the SNP conference in Aberdeen on Monday. STV News

The announcement came after Swinney acknowledged the “challenges” facing NHS services in Scotland.

“There is no more important issue to all of us than our National Health Service,” he said.

“More and more people are being seen, waiting lists are falling, more appointments, more operations, and more GPs, but one key issue I hear about is the ‘8am rush’ for appointments.

“We want to make it easier for you to see a GP where and when it works for you.”

It comes after Labour claimed the founding principles of the NHS were “under threat” due to SNP incompetence and failure.

Dame Jackie Baillie, the party’s health spokeswoman, said Scotland’s public services were at “breaking point”.

The Dumbarton MSP pointed to several media reports published since September, including a story about pregnant women in Stranraer being forced to make 90-mile journeys for basic maternity care.

Another one included Brooke Paterson, a 19-year-old footballer who was forced to spend five hours lying on a pitch in North Lanarkshire waiting for an ambulance after breaking her leg.

Separately, Peter Black, a 71-year-old grandfather with stage four cancer, was forced to wait 15 hours in Wishaw General A&E.

In his speech, Swinney also announced that the Scottish Government would sponsor social care workers from overseas to work in the country’s care homes.

It came after Swinney said Westminster “shut down the visa route for social care workers” at a time when “care homes are crying out for staff”.

“I can announce today that the Scottish Government is going to step in,” Swinney said.

“We will sponsor these skilled staff so they can work, pay tax and help keep Scotland’s care homes running.

“Hundreds of dedicated workers, able to start work immediately. Scotland’s older people must not pay the price for Westminster’s prejudice.”