READERS of The Oban Timeson May 17 may have read with alarm the front page article warning of funding cuts to rural general practice, writes Dr Alan McDevitt, chairman, Scottish GP Committee of the BMA.
Such alarm would be understandable. General practice is after all the part of the NHS that the greatest number of people interact with most throughout their lives, nowhere more so than in rural or remote communities. But the problem is the claims of impending funding cuts are not true.
The new contract is already in effect and no practice – not in Oban, not in Lochaber, nor in any other part of Scotland – has seen its funding reduced as a result of the contract.