Concern as Holyrood scales back GP survey

A GP SURVEY used to make sure doctors offer speedy appointments to patients is being scaled back this year, prompting fears it could affect the quality of services.

The Patient Experience Survey includes questions on whether patients are able to get appointments within 48 hours and also book slots in advance with their practice.

GPs are awarded points as part of the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) based on the results of the survey, which influence the funding they receive.

But the Scottish Government said the survey would not be compulsory for all practices this year. Instead it will only be offered to those who did not achieve full marks last year.

Such a move will save more than 500,000, the Scottish Government said, and a full survey will be carried out again next year.

But the Scotland Patients Association raised concerns that GPs who had achieved full points might "drop their game" if they knew patients would not be asked for another year about their performance.

"The survey is not an exercise for GPs to get punished financially, but it does tell us what is out there and what is wrong and so we can rectify it," chairwoman Margaret Watt said.

The British Medical Association has raised concerns previously that some practices are being denied funding because the survey is based on a small proportion of their patients.

A Holyrood spokeswoman said: "The main reason the Scottish Government decided not to conduct a full Patient Experience Survey in 2010-11 was because many GP practices had already achieved the full QOF points for this last year - and we did not wish to subject these patients to another survey."