Part of the debate – in the Scottish Parliament at on 19 November 2014.
Alex Neil
Scottish National Party
There are big pressures on GP services and primary care and on acute services. One of the reasons why there are so many pressures on acute services, not only in rural and remote rural areas and island communities but throughout Scotland, is that we need to invest more in our primary care services. For example, we have evidence to show that many people turn up at accident and emergency departments because their treatment is turned around there within four hours, which means that they do not have to wait for days, weeks or longer for a GP appointment. The £40 million is directed at rural areas, deep-end practices and those practices where there is an above-average ageing population, particularly where there is a very elderly population. As rural areas have a disproportionate share of elderly people, they will benefit enormously from that £40 million.