JOHN Swinney has announced an extension of Scotland’s GP walk-in pilot until 2029 as he revealed 24 more areas where services are planned.
The expansion will bring the total number of services either planned or already operating to 40.
The First Minister announced the move as he officially opened Scotland's 11th GP walk-in service at Randolph Wemyss Community Hospital in Buckhaven, Fife.
The pilot scheme allows patients to access same-day care from GPs, advanced nurse practitioners and other clinicians without a pre-booked appointment, with services operating across a wider range of hours.
It was launched in an effort to tackle the “8am rush” faced by patients trying to secure GP appointments.
The rollout has attracted some criticism after figures from Public Health Scotland showed some of the initial centres were seeing only a handful of patients per day on average.
The Scottish Government is now pressing ahead with the expansion, with more than 10,500 walk-in cases having been seen since the first service opened in February.
Swinney said: “I promised that my government would break from the status quo and introduce a new way for patients to access same day care – and we are delivering on that commitment.
“We are listening and want to create more choice for patients, closer to home and without the need for a pre-booked appointment.
“In the first six months since we opened the first service in February, more than 10,500 walk-in cases have been seen. As these services are phased in to become fully operational, seven days a week, I am confident that many more people will benefit.”
The Scottish Government have also announced that the pilot programme will be extended until April 2029.
Swinney added: “This is part of my Government’s wider agenda to provide patients with greater choice and access to care closer to home – in turn relieving pressure on hospitals and acute services.
“It will complement our trusted network of GP practices across the country, which we are bolstering with historic additional investment to recruit more GPs with £531 million to 2029.”
The 24 additional areas identified for GP walk-in services are:
- Arbroath
- Dumbarton
- Livingston
- Paisley
- Inverness
- Leith
- Shotts
- Falkirk
- East Kilbride
- Tweeddale
- East Renfrewshire
- Irvine
- North Lanarkshire
- Grangemouth
- Musselburgh
- Glenrothes
- Ayr
- East Dunbartonshire
- Inverclyde
- Oban
- Glasgow City
- Glasgow North East
- Glasgow Southside
- Glasgow North West
This builds on the 16 services announced in February which are open, or in delivery:
- Wester Hailes
- Lochee
- Benbecula
- Stranraer
- Lerwick
- Hawick
- Invergordon
- Aberdeen
- Cardonald
- Dunoon
- Moray
- Sauchie
- Inverurie
- Lanark
- Kilmarnock
- Buckhaven
