Baker says it is a GP crisis

Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Claire Baker says the health board released a statement to politicians documenting the recruitment difficulties GP practices are experiencing but marked it 'confidential'.

The Kelty born Labour politician hit out saying as a result MSPs will not be able to raise the contents directly with constituents or at Parliament and urged them to be honest with the public.

Virtually every GP practice in the Cowdenbeath-Lochgelly area is struggling to get new recruits when a doctor leaves.

However, NHS Fife insisted that it has been very "open and transparent" about the challenges in recruiting GP's and how politicians used the information was at their discretion.

Ms Baker said the letter detailed the number of patient lists that are full along with practices that have been struggling for over a year to fulfil vacant GP positions.

She said: “It is clear to everyone that Fife is in the middle of a GP crisis. Yet rather than facing up to this, NHS Fife would rather try to silence politicians from speaking out.

“Despite knowing how many full lists there are in Fife, all Fife politicians are gagged by claims that the information is confidential.

"We are being told that one such surgery is considered to be in ‘a high risk situation’ but I cannot name where. This is outrageous and deeply damaging to relationships between the board, local politicians and patients.

“NHS Fife is a public body and as such should be as open and transparent as possible. Hiding statistics and figures behind a ‘confidential’ clause goes against this and there must be an immediate rethink.

“Fife has a right to know what is happening in their NHS and they have a right to know what action is being taken to address this growing GP crisis. Politicians must no longer be silenced.”

Paul Hawkins, NHS Fife Chief Executive, responded: "This experience is not exclusive to Fife and is replicated by Boards across the country

“Ms Baker, along with all of Fife’s MP’s and MSP’s, meet on a regular basis with the NHS Fife Chair and Chief Executive. These meetings are always well attended and the agenda and topics discussed are largely driven by the politicians.

“NHS Fife has routinely released position statements to all politicians representing the Kingdom over the last three years as part of these meetings. These statements are based on information supplied by GP practices in Fife experiencing recruitment difficulties.

“As GP practices in Scotland are independent practitioners with contracted work from NHS Boards, the practices are ultimately responsible for their own recruitment and retention. As a result the position statements are marked confidential on the basis that they could be deemed to contain commercially sensitive information about GP practices. How politicians choose to use this information is at their discretion."

“The Chief Executive and Chair’s door is always open to our elected representatives and we are happy to meet with Ms Baker so we can give assurance or clarify any issues. As yet we have not received such a request.

“NHS Fife Board meetings are open to MP’s, MSP’s and the general public. The dates of these meetings, alongside the accompanying papers are available online at: www.nhsfife.org/boardmeetings.”