Hyslop Welcomes Funding Boost for West Lothian GP Practices
Local Constituency MSP for Linlithgow, Fiona Hyslop, has welcomed the announcement that GP practices in West Lothian could receive a funding boost this year.
The Scottish Government has announced that an additional £20 million support will be given to GP practices across Scotland to help with the costs of running their practices. The ‘GP Premises Sustainability Loan Scheme’ aims to ease the financial burden associated with owning a General Practice – in turn helping to improve recruitment and retention. It means that GPs who own their own premises can apply for long term interest-free loans worth up to 20% of their practice’s value.
15 GP Practices in the Lothian region have already successfully applied for the GP Premises Sustainability Loan Scheme.
Fiona commented;
“This is a welcome investment in our local NHS services which will help family doctors deal with the costs of running their practice.
“I am well aware of the pressures on local GP surgeries throughout my constituency and I am pleased that some areas like Winchburgh, as part of the village’s development, will see brand new facilities.
“This investment means that every GP Practice in West Lothian can apply for the Sustainability Loan Scheme, ensuring that practices are fully staffed and can meet the needs of our every increasing population, particularly in the more rural areas of West Lothian where it can be harder to recruit and retain staff.
“The NHS is one of our most treasured institutions, and this SNP Government is absolutely committed to ensuring it stays fit for the future.”
ENDS
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A total of 172 practices across Scotland have successfully applied for loans – around 50% of the total eligible.
The GP Premises Loan Scheme opened in November 2018 and is backed with £30 million of Scottish Government funding. This announcement takes the total investment to £50 million before April 2021.
Under the initiative, funding is available up to 20% of the practice’s value. The loan is repayable when the premises are no longer used for providing primary care medical services under an NHS contract, or when they are sold.
The new GP contract in Scotland is backed by £110 million in 2018/19 to ensure that GPs are able to spend more time with patients, and less time on paperwork. The Scottish Government is investing a further £7.5 million to improve GP recruitment and retention in 2018/19.