Cunninghame South MSP Patricia Gibson has hailed the news that her constituency is to secure a GP walk-in centre to help boost NHS services, describing it as a “game changer” for people across the community.
The announcement came as First Minister John Swinney confirmed that 24 more areas across Scotland will benefit from new GP-led walk-in services, bringing the total number of centres planned or operational to 40.
Expansion of walk-in services
Work is underway with health boards to establish new walk-in services for communities including Angus, Dumbarton, East Kilbride, East Renfrewshire, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Glasgow, Inverness, North Ayrshire, Paisley, Shotts, Tweeddale and West Lothian. Many are expected to open within a year.
Proposals are also in development for walk-in services in Ayr, East Dunbartonshire, Glasgow, Glasgow North East, Glenrothes, Grangemouth, Inverclyde, Musselburgh, North Lanarkshire and Oban.
First Minister's commitment
Mr Swinney marked the official opening of the 11th GP walk-in service in Buckhaven in Fife and announced an extension of the pilot programme until April 2029.
The GP walk-in pilot is testing new ways of accessing same-day care from GPs, Advanced Nurse Practitioners or other clinicians at a wider range of times. The services are designed to provide more choice for patients while helping to relieve pressure on wider NHS services.
Speaking at the service at Randolph Wemyss Community Hospital, the First Minister said: “I promised that my government would break from the status quo and introduce a new way for patients to access same day care – and we are delivering on that commitment. We are listening and want to create more choice for patients, closer to home and without the need for a pre-booked appointment.
“In the first six months since we opened the first service in February, more than 10,500 walk-in cases have been seen. As these services are phased in to become fully operational, seven days a week, I am confident that many more people will benefit.
“The opening of our newest GP walk-in service, in Fife, is an important milestone in the roll-out of this pilot project, fulfilling my government’s commitment to open five new walk-in centres within our first 100 days of office. We have done this in Aberdeen, Dunoon, Invergordon, Cardonald and Buckhaven.
“This is part of my Government’s wider agenda to provide patients with greater choice and access to care closer to home – in turn relieving pressure on hospitals and acute services. It will complement our trusted network of GP practices across the country, which we are bolstering with historic additional investment to recruit more GPs with £531 million to 2029.”
Local reaction
Reacting to the news, Patricia Gibson said: “Having lobbied for Irvine to get a GP walk-centre, I am delighted with this announcement.
“As I argued in the Scottish Parliament in June, North Ayrshire has Scotland’s lowest healthy life expectancy and more than 28 per cent of people here live with a long-term health condition.
“A GP walk-in clinic will be a game changer for people locally, allowing much more flexible access to GP services at a time that suits them instead of being at the mercy of the 8am rush.
“I look forward to hearing more detail from NHS Ayrshire and Arran in due course including where the walk-in clinic will be based and what the catchment area will be.”
