GP practices in NHS Lanarkshire will receive a funding boost this year, the Scottish Government has unveiled.

The Scottish Government has announced that an additional £20 million support will be given to GP practices across Scotland to help with the costs of running their practice

A total of 172 practices across Scotland have successfully applied for loans – around 50% of the total eligible. 16 of these have come from GPs in NHS Lanarkshire.

The new GP contract in Scotland is backed by £110 million in 2018/19 to ensure that GPs are able to spend more time with patients, and less time on paperwork. The Scottish Government is investing a further £7.5 million to improve GP recruitment and retention in 2018/19.

SNP MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, Christina McKelvie, said:

“People across my Constituency and the wider NHS Lanarkshire area will welcome this significant investment in our local NHS service, which will help family doctors deal with the costs of running their practice.

“The extra investment will make becoming a GP an attractive career choice and encourage more people to join the profession - which will in turn make it easier for practices in Scotland to retain and recruit staff.

“This news is extremely encouraging, especially for those practices in rural areas who may struggle to recruit new members of staff. I encourage eligible GPs in NHS Lanarkshire to consider whether they would benefit from this scheme.

“The NHS is one of our most treasured institutions, and the SNP in government is absolutely committed to ensuring it stays fit for the future.”