£9.34 million is to be invested in Scotland to upgrade premises and IT systems.
£5.14 million will fund the digitisation of GP paper records and to improve GP premises across the country, of which £0.14 million will be used to support the digitisation of GP records between GP practices.
£4.2 million will support Primary Care Improvement Plans (PCIPs) and improvements to GP IT, and improve practices’ internet connectivity. With £1.8 million to support infrastructure improvements such as internet connectivity and WiFi.
£200,000 is to be used to support the deployment of Attend Anywhere to remote and rural GP practices.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said “This is a substantial investment by the Scottish Government which will support GPs, the wider primary care workforce and the communities they serve.”
“The upgrades to premises and IT systems will see continued improvements to the delivery of high quality patient care, including the continued deployment of Attend Anywhere in our remote and rural areas.”
“This investment is part of a wider commitment to increase general practice funding by £250 million by 2021 as part of an extra investment of £500 million per year for primary care funding. This funding together with our wider reform programme will mean additional staff working in primary care, providing better services for patients and allowing them to see the right person at the right time.”
Scottish GP Committee deputy chair Patricia Moultrie said “This is welcome funding for GP premises and will allow partners to improve their practices and give much-need updates to IT systems. This funding is definitely a step in the right direction in regards to making premises fit for the multidisciplinary teams working within general practice in the future, as we look towards the development of Phase 2 of the GP contract.”
