Locations of 15 new walk-in GPs to curb '8am rush' confirmed

John Swinney has revealed the locations of 15 new walk-in GPs across Scotland in an effort to stop the “8am rush” for appointments.

The country’s first GP walk-in clinic at Wester Hailes Healthy Living Centre, where patients have access to care on the same day without an appointment, was opened as part of a £36m pilot programme earlier this month.

The new services aim to make it easier for people to get urgent care for medical issues while easing pressure on GP practices and hospitals.

The Scottish Government has now confirmed that a further 12 practices, including in Dundee, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Shetland, will open as part of phase one this year.

Three further walk-in GPs are planned in phase two of the programme.

During a visit to one of the sites on Shetland, the First Minister confirmed that two of the new sites will be opened in the coming weeks.

Swinney said: “By establishing a series of walk-in clinics, we can ensure people are seen by a clinician at a time that works for them. Our programme will help us deliver over one million additional GP and nurse appointments.

“This complements our £531 million landmark investment in core General Practice. With GP numbers up, long waits down and new walk-in GP clinics being tested across Scotland, it is clear we are making real progress in our NHS, and I am determined to continue driving forward improvements.”

However, the Royal College of General Practitioners believe that lessons need to be taken from the failed trial of walk-in GP services in England, which “highlighted that walk‑in centres were more expensive to run”.

The body believes the Scottish Government’s pilot programme will “not significantly ease pressure on core GP services” and that the £36m should be invested into core GPs.

Chair Dr Chris Provan said: “It is also important to recognise that walk‑in centres face unpredictable fluctuations in demand. By contrast, core general practices fill every appointment and typically operate at full capacity each day – something walk‑in services are unlikely to match.

“It is unclear how the pilot sites will deliver the Scottish Government’s commitment of one million appointments per year. Even if they did, this would represent only a marginal increase when set against the more than 700,000 direct patient contacts GPs provide every week.”