‘Restore jags and enhanced services to Highland GPs’ call to health minister
A local MSP has again called for both vaccinations and enhanced services to be returned to GPs.
Edward Mountain, MSP for the Highlands and Islands, spoke during Friday’s general questions in the Scottish Parliament, to highlight once more “NHS Highland’s mismanagement of services and funds”.
He called for NHS Highland to be placed in special measures, highlighting their £50m overspend and “their inability to deliver the services which they have taken away from GPs.”
It was announced in January 2025 that routine vaccination delivery would be returned to Highland GP practices, following backlash to the 2018 GP contract which did not work for the Highlands.
Fergus Ewing (SNP) challenged the cabinet secretary for health and social care, Neil Gray, about the uncertainty regarding when exactly this would happen.
Enhanced services GP contracts – which include the provision of minor operations, contraceptive implants, and diabetes care – were stopped on April 1, 2024, meaning that many patients are unable to have these procedures carried out locally and are now referred by their GPs to NHS Highland.
It was reported last year that NHS Highland was forecast to overspend its budget by over £50 million in the 2024/25 financial year, but only if it met certain saving goals.
Scottish Conservative Highlands and Islands MSP Mr Mountain said: “Fergus and I have always called for vaccination services to be reverted to GPs.
“I am convinced that both vaccinations and enhanced services should continue to be provided by Highland GPs.
“The health board is so short of money, and they cannot seem to safely organise services to deliver for Highlanders the care they deserve locally and in a timely fashion.
“Surely the solution is for NHS Highland to be placed in special measures, as they clearly cannot manage their own budget which is estimated to be £50m overspent.”
