The Rural GP Association of Scotland has resigned from a Scottish Government working group set up to address rural doctors’ concerns about the new GP contract, claiming efforts to find solutions ‘have fallen by the wayside’.

Vice chair, Dr David Hogg, says none of the body’s members believe rural healthcare will be better under the new contract – and 82% believe it will be worse.

The association no longer considers the Remote & Rural General Practice Working Group ‘an effective mechanism to address our members’ concerns’, he adds.

In a letter released today, the Arran-based GP says he has become ‘increasingly despondent’ as the group, set up by the Scottish Government to find ways to adapt the new contract to the unique needs of rural and remote GPs, has not come up with any ‘pragmatic, realistic proposals’.

He claims the group does not have the power to tackle crucial issues – particularly around disparities in the funding provided to each practice.

There ‘has been no effective response’ to proposals put forward by rural GPs despite an ‘ongoing reliance on rural GPs to fix the problems caused by lack of appropriate rural proofing in our national contract’, Dr Hogg goes on to say.

A survey of the association’s members underlines the strength of feeling on the issue.

92% say they would now vote to reject the new contract, if given the chance – compared to 88% who opposed the contract when it was voted on in January 2018.

Around half of the rural GPs surveyed did not think the Scottish Government working group – which is chaired by Professor Lewis Ritchie and brings together representatives from the Scottish Government, the health service, GPs’ groups and health & social care partnerships – had been effective in addressing their concerns.

31% warned the new contract could leave to services being curtailed.

The Rural GP Association of Scotland has previously said the ‘challenges of providing rural primary care have not been adequately addressed in this contract’ and claimed the healthcare needs of rural communities were ‘undervalued and poorly considered’.

Concerns centre around a new formula for providing income, which the association claims does not reflect the additional challenges of providing GP services in rural and remote areas.

98% of Scotland’s landmass, containing 18% of the population, is considered rural.

Analysis by the group suggests there will be a stark division between the funding rural and urban surgeries receive under the new scheme.

Responding to the resignation, a Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We are aware that the Rural Group Chair, Sir Lewis Ritchie, has written to Dr Hogg thanking him for his participation in the group. We share Sir Lewis’s view that the group has been enriched by his participation.

“GPs in remote and rural communities provide vital and committed healthcare services to their patients, in often challenging circumstances.

“We value the views and contributions of rural GPs, and the Rural Working Group will continue to engage with RGPAS as it continues this important work.”