GP Retention Working Group: report and recommendations

7. General Practice: GP Retention Working Group Terms of Reference and Membership

7.1 Background

• In 2017 the Scottish Government made a commitment to increase the number of GPs in Scotland by 800 headcount over the next 10 years towards 2027. There has been a steady increase in GP numbers since the announcement, with the latest GP headcount data showing 5,195 GPs now working in Scotland. This is an increase of 277 since 2018. While these numbers are moving in the right direction, further and concerted work is required to provide the GPs that Scotland needs for the future, and retaining current GPs is crucial.
• In December 2022 RCGP Scotland published a report, Retaining our GP Workforce. The report comes with a series of recommendations to improve the retention of the GPs in Scotland.
• Scottish Government currently funds several GP retention schemes through NES and the RCGP. Some are long standing schemes that have been operational for a number of years, and are in need of review.
• There are also several initiatives that are delivered at a Board level to retain GPs, which need to from a key part of the overall career pathway for GPs.

7.2 Aims of the Group

The group will aim to deliver the following by November 2023:

• Use existing and available information to identify key challenges and opportunities for GPs to remain in the profession in Scotland at early, mid and end of career.
• Map fellowships and other local initiatives to support GP retention.
• Advise on the evaluation / review of existing national retention schemes available to GPs to support them to remain in the profession, and identify whether they are still fit for purpose in post Covid-19 General Practice. This includes:

a. SIPS Scheme

b. GP Coaching

c. GP Retainer Scheme

d. Golden Hellos

e. Support for First 5s

• Develop a set of recommendations for the Cabinet Secretary to improve GP retention at all stages of the career pathway. This would include recommendations to improve programmes, as well as data collection on GP retention, and to identify the effectiveness of existing programmes.

7.3 Working Methods

• This is a short life working group, and the intention is that it will meet on two occasions, engaging stakeholders more broadly through workshops as required.
• All group members will be asked to provide agenda items (at least a week before the next meeting) and updates at the meeting. Allocated action points will be circulated within one week of the meeting.

7.4 Membership

• Dr Catriona Morton, Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP)
• Dr Patricia Moultrie, Scottish General Practitioners Committee (SGPC)
• Jeremy Chowing, NHS Lothian
• Dr Alida McGregor, Rural GP Association of Scotland (RGPAS) Chair
• Dr Sigi Joseph, Elected Member of Scottish Council, and Clinical Lead, Leadership for Integration, RCGP
• Nitin Gambhir, NHS Education Scotland (NES)
• Nick Smith, Scottish Government (Chair)
• Michelle Watts, Scottish Government
• Elspeth Strang, Scottish Government
• Chris Bain, Scottish Government

7.5 Governance

• The group will report into the General Practice Policy Division.

7.6 Secretariat

• Secretariat will be covered as follows:
• Chris Bain will act as lead contact from within the SG for the group.
• Leslie Smith, Primary Care Directorate, will be responsible for secretariat duties including minute-taking and sharing of relevant papers and agenda.