Five more ways Nicola Sturgeon has failed Scotland

#3 Doctoring the figures

The SNP pledged to recruit an additional 800 GPs over the next decade, however, a report from Audit Scotland stated the SNP government would struggle to meet that commitment.

But with Stamp Duty being far more expensive in Scotland, and with doctors paying £2k a year more in taxes at the average salary level in Scotland versus elsewhere in the UK, it’s no wonder the Scottish Government are finding it harder to attract GPs to Scotland.

The expansion of the primary care workforce, which includes nurses and physiotherapists, is “central” to the SNP’s vision of reshaping healthcare to treat more people at home and in the community, rather than in hospitals, but this is compromised by the difficulties in attracting new talent.

In any case, with an ageing population and an increase in the number of people living with long-term medical conditions, these extra 800 places – if filled – will cater for the increase in demand, and not necessarily reduce the stressful workload GPs currently face.