With thanks to Kenneth Hutchison, Parliamentary Assistant to Dr. Eilidh Whiteford
SNP representatives have met with senior staff at NHS Grampian to discuss ongoing recruitment challenges in the north east.
Banff and Buchan MP Eilidh Whiteford and Gordon MSP Gillian Martin met with managers on Friday, while Stewart Stevenson MSP has scheduled a meeting with senior representatives for next month.
Speaking after the event, Eilidh Whiteford said:
“This was a very constructive meeting, which gave NHS representatives an opportunity to brief MPs and MSPs on the progress NHS Grampian is making to deliver integrated health and social care services, new investments across the North-east, and efforts to tackle the GP shortages in some rural areas.
“I was reassured to see NHS Grampian taking the recruitment shortfalls so seriously at senior levels.
“Although there’s no quick fix overnight solution to what is a complex problem, lots of options are being pursued, including working with the universities to do more to encourage young medics to see General Practice as an attractive career, and casting the net wide to encourage GPs to move to the area.”
Gordon MSP Gillian Martin added:
“Today was very useful for me to meet all the members of NHS Grampian’s leadership team and to be able to put some questions to them about health related issues in Aberdeenshire East. We were able to have a very constructive dialogue about issues surrounding GP recruitment and new models of primary care, and I look forward to working more closely with them as we go forward “
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