Scotland’s leading charity for older people is calling for more investment in primary care to address the nationwide shortage of GPs.

The Primary Care Workforce Survey, published this week found there has been a “consistent decline” in the number of full-time GPs, with a quarter of practices reporting current vacancies, despite an increasing demand for services.

Brian Sloan, Chief Executive of Age Scotland, said: “The shortage of GPs is very concerning and could have a serious impact on older patients. We often hear from older people who have difficulty making appointments with their GP when they need them. This is having a knock-on effect on other parts of the NHS, increasing the chance of poor health outcomes and putting additional strain on our hospitals.

“Primary care physicians play a vital role in building relationships with their patients and identifying problems at an early stage, from symptoms of dementia to social isolation.

“This situation is only likely to get worse with an ageing population. We would like to see the Government investing more resources in training and recruiting GPs to meet Scotland’s current and future needs.”