Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government works closely with the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC). This independent expert advisory group advises Ministers and the NHS in the four UK countries about all aspects of screening policy using the international research evidence base and establishing pilot programmes where appropriate to collect additional evidence.

The UK NSC and the Scottish Government recognise that lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in the UK and, unless found at an early stage, the outcome is poor. Nevertheless, the UK NSC does not currently recommend a national screening programme for lung cancer because there is not yet enough evidence that this is a good approach to reduce the burden of the disease. In particular there are concerns around significant over-diagnosis leading to potentially invasive investigations in people who are well.

The policy is due to be reviewed again, taking into account the results of the NELSON randomised lung cancer screening trial. If there is any change to the policy this will be carefully considered by the Scottish Government.

If accepted by the profession, Phase 2 of the contract will introduce an income range that is comparable to that of consultants and directly reimburse agreed practice expenses.

As these measures would change GP practice funding and GP income they will be subject to negotiation and a second poll of the profession after specific details (including financial details) are available. Negotiations on this phase will include arrangements for the protection of GP income and practice expenses.

The new GP contract, backed by investment of £110 million in 2018-19 and jointly developed with the BMA, will help to cut doctors’ workload and make general practice an even more attractive career. This will include expanding the multidisciplinary team including link workers, vital to improving patient care in deprived communities.

The new workload formula better addresses practice workload, recognising the impact of age and deprivation. It is accompanied by an additional £23 million investment to improve services for patients where workload is highest, and to guarantee that no practice in Scotland will lose money under the formula. This will mean increased funding for c.63% of GP practices.

Future funding uplifts will apply to all GP practices’ share of the total funding derived by the new formula during Phase 1, including the new income guarantee. The annual uplift for 2018-19 will be negotiated in Summer 2018 following the publication of recommendations for the annual uplift by the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration.

The new GP contract introduces a funding formula based on the workload that the practice population is expected to generate. It is based on the best available evidence and as such it more accurately reflects the workload of GPs.

The impact of deprivation on the workload of a practice is better reflected in the new workload formula than the previous Scottish Allocation Formula. Methodological improvements mean both deprivation in urban areas and isolated pockets of rural deprivation are better addressed by the new formula.

The new formula was developed as part of a 2016 review of the Scottish Allocation Formula (ttp://www.gov.scot/Publications/2017/11/1343/downloads ), and was informed by the 2017 Review of GP Earnings and Expenses ( http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0052/00527540.pdf ). The impact of the new funding formula will be monitored during implementation.

Information on the number of patients who have self-funded their drug treatment in each year since 1999 is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.

Through our Detect Cancer Early programme, we aim to increase the proportion of cancers that are detected at the earliest stages.

The Detect Lung Cancer Early campaign fronted by Sir Alex Fergusson was first launched on 6 November 2013. Activity has continued throughout 2017-18 including outdoor advertising, press and PR stories and a new online a new online film fronted by Sir Alex Fergusson was launched in November 2017. This was supported by the existing marketing campaign being on air again in January 2018.

Cancer Staging data released by ISD show that for 2015 and 2016 combined there was a 39.2% increase in the proportion of lung cancers diagnosed at Stage I where treatment is most successful.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting GPs to be more aware of the potential signs and symptoms of cancer and the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer are currently under clinical review, due to publish Autumn 2018.

Information is only collected centrally for colonoscopy and not for pre-colonoscopy assessment. ISD have published information on performance against the 6 week waiting time standard for colonoscopy since 30 June 2009 - this information can be obtained on the ISD website at:

http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics//Waiting-Times/Publications/data-tables2017.asp?id=2107#2107

 It is primarily for NHS Boards to co-ordinate interpreting and translation services that best meet the needs of their local populations. The new contract requires GPs, who are responsible for setting appointment lengths, to engage through their clusters with Health and Social Care Partnerships in local service planning to ensure the primary care team is focused on local population needs.

We are investing £23 million to support the new Scottish Workload Formula which ensures a better match between resources and population need.

The GP Practice at Whitburn Health Centre are operating fully without any restrictions. The Practice have 8 GP partners and are currently training more of their nursing staff to take on advanced clinical roles. Whilst there can be delays in getting appointments if patients will only see a specific GP there are currently both pre-bookable and on- the-day appointments available. Since the beginning of the year the Practice have registered 291 new patients, have launched a Healthy Lifestyle Clinic and are in the process of enhancing their current service provisions.

The West Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) is planning on consolidating GP services for all patients registered at Breich Valley Medical Practice to the Fauldhouse Partnership Centre site as of 1 June 2018 and to re-advertise the practice on this basis. Applicants would be offered the option of using the Stoneyburn branch for medical provision if they wished.

Additional support will continue in the form of the specially trained Paramedics to support home visits and GP Advanced Physiotherapy Practitioners. Community services will continue to be provided in Stoneyburn and housebound patients will receive exactly the same service as they do at the moment.

A letter has gone out last week to the whole practice population to advise them of the situation and the HSCP are continuing to work with the Practice to enable a smooth transition.

Our ambition is to increase the number of GPs by at least 800 over ten years to ensure a sustainable service that meets increasing demand.