In an open letter to Shona Robison, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, we’re standing shoulder to shoulder alongside the British Medical Association Scotland, Community Pharmacy Scotland, and Optometry Scotland, to spell out the facts.
NHS primary care providers largely operate as small businesses – and we deserve the same exemptions from the hike that have been offered to secondary care.
Inaction here could mean independent contractors closing services, returning contracts, and patients struggling to access needed care.
The letter was delivered just ahead of a debate on the impact of the hike on public services across Scotland. Thanks to Members hundreds of messages have already landed with MSPs spelling out the impact.
Scottish Liberal Democrat Leader Alex Cole Hamilton warned "Many dental practices are struggling and might be forced to reduce their already limited NHS provision.”
"That would have serious consequences on already sparse patient access," he added.
It was revealed that the Liberal Democrats in Westminster had confirmation that no impact assessment was undertaken by the UK Government ahead of this hike. In our view that was utterly reckless.
Conservative Dr Sandesh Gulhane MSP stressed this ‘tax attack’ threatens to force even more dental practitioners out of business. “Without change, people across Scotland face a future in which even a routine dental appointment will become a luxury that they cannot access,” he said.
Shadow Finance Secretary Craig Hoy MSP stressed that dental practices were already under a lot of financial pressure and the impact of the NI increase “is now effectively the straw that could break the camel’s back.”
Minister Neil Grey MSP stated the Scottish Government had estimated the net cost of the increase to independent contractors providing NHS services at around £40m.
We are proud to see dentists, GPs, Pharmacists and Optometrists speak with one voice here. One way or another this funding gap must be covered.
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