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MDDUS responds to General Practice Workforce Strategy in Scotland

Author: MDDUS | Date: 26 August 2025

At a glance:

  • MDDUS says the latest GP workforce figures show improvement but still fall short of pre‑pandemic levels and hide ongoing pressures in general practice.
  • GPs are experiencing unsustainable workloads, with advisers reporting concerns about stress, burnout and the risk of errors affecting patients and careers.
  • While welcoming increased GP numbers, MDDUS is urging Scottish ministers to accelerate recruitment and retention and address the system-wide causes of GP distress.

Commenting on the latest General Practice Workforce Strategy, Dr John Holden, the Chief Medical Officer at MDDUS, said:

“It would be churlish not to acknowledge the improvement this report shows, with a 4% increase in the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) GPs working in Scotland.

“However, this figure still lags behind the number of FTE GPs working in Scotland before the pandemic and masks the crisis many practices continue to face amid unprecedented patient demand.

“Our advisers hear regularly from GPs under pressure and worried that the overwhelming demands on their time will lead to errors that will harm patients and their own careers.

“This unsustainable position has direct personal consequences for many doctors, with rates of stress and burnout still stubbornly and worryingly high.

“So while it is encouraging to see the numbers of FTE GPs increase, we are looking to Scottish ministers to continue to accelerate recruitment and retention initiatives and to address the systemic issues causing distress to so many GPs and their teams.”

This page was correct at the time of publication. Any guidance is intended as general guidance for members only. If you are a member and need specific advice relating to your own circumstances, please contact one of our advisers.

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