Scottish Conservative MSP Donald Cameron has questioned the Cabinet Secretary for Health about growing disquiet among rural GPs over the SNP Government’s controversial new GP contract.

He told Jeane Freeman that over 9 in 10 GPs would reject the contract if they had the chance.

Donald’s comments follow the recent resignation of  Dr David Hogg, vice chairman of the Rural GP Association of Scotland (RGPAS), who resigned from a Holyrood working group in protest at the failure of the SNP Government to properly address the issue.

In an exchange in the Scottish Parliament Donald said to the Cabinet Secretary: “A recent survey of rural GPs showed that 82 per cent of members of the Rural GP Association of Scotland believe that the outlook for rural healthcare is worse under the new contract and that 92 per cent of its members would reject the contract if they were given an opportunity to vote on it now.”

He asked: “What reassurance can the cabinet secretary give rural GPs, who are clearly desperate and feel that their voices are being ignored by her Government?”

Speaking after the debate, Donald said: “Although the Health Secretary referred to looking at these concerns, her response will have failed to reassure our GPs working in rural areas that the Scottish Government intends to do anything to rectify this massive threat to the service they provide.

“The SNP repeatedly fail to understand that confidence in the future of our rural and island communities is underpinned by access to healthcare and people living here need to know that they can get to see a GP.

“Our communities need reassurance that the SNP Government understands the importance of this but, unfortunately, they just don’t seem to get it. My Scottish Conservative colleagues and I will continue to press ministers as we cannot allow this matter to continue to be neglected by the SNP.”