FMQs: John Swinney criticised over plans for NHS in programme for government

Both Russell Findlay and Anas Sarwar have criticised John Swinney’s programme for government, arguing that it will not end the crisis facing the NHS.  

The Labour and Conservative leaders questioned how 100,000 more GP appointments can be carried out in the next 12 months, as well as arguing it will only amount to one extra appointment per GP every fortnight. 

Sarwar said the plan “will hardly end the 8am rush for a GP appointment”.  

The first minister said the extra appointments are one part of the plan, adding “there are a number of measures the government is taking”.  

He said: “Yes, we’re delivering 100,000 additional appointments for GPs, we are also expanding the pharmacy first services to reduce pressure and demand on GP services, and we are expanding the availability of allied health practitioners. 

“These measures will deal with the issues that are raised about the 8am rush by reducing pressure on GP services.” 

Findlay, who called the PfG “a pathetic con”, quoted BMA Scotland, who earlier this week said that the plans to ease pressure on the NHS were “failing to meet reality”.  

He also echoed the comments of the Royal College of General Practitioners of Scotland, who said “they [the Scottish Government] simply don’t have the workforce capacity to deliver the extra 100,000 appointments”.  

Findlay said the Scottish Government’s goal of increasing the workforce by 800 “hasn’t happened” and for its plan to work it would need injection of more GPs into the workforce.  

He said: “They constantly make big pledges about the NHS but always fail patients. 

“The SNP never keep their word, so why should anyone believe that John Swinney will keep his latest promise when the SNP break them all the time.”  

In response, Swinney said since he had been first minister the NHS has carried out over 100,000 extra appointments and procedures, surpassing its target of 64,000.   

Sarwar said the NHS had “run out of steam and has lost their way”, calling its PfG “bland and unambitious”. 

He was also critical of the Scottish Government’s plans to tackle homelessness. 

The Scottish Labour leader quoted charity Shelter Scotland, who described the PfG as a “programme for homelessness” and raised recent statistics which show 10,000 children in Scotland are currently living in temporary accommodation.  

He said: “The fact is we have 10,000 homeless children [in Scotland] and John Swinney has no plan to deal with it.” 

Swinney argued that his government was working to address homelessness in Scotland and said financial support given to local authorities had helped reduce the number of children living in temporary accommodation.  

He said: “Why is that happening? It’s happening because the government has put financial support in place to make sure that void accommodation can be brought back into use so that families that can be accommodated. That’s a change in government policy, a change that took place under my leadership.”