Scotland full-time GPs increase for the first time since pre-pandemic, data shows

The number of whole-time-equivalent (WTE) GPs in Scotland has increased by 4% over the past year, new data has revealed.

The General Practice Workforce Survey 2025 found that there were 4,582 GPs as of 31 March, equivalent to 3,591 WTE – up from 3,453.1 last year. This is the first time that the figure has increased since 2019. 

The report, released by NHS Education for Scotland, was compiled from data submitted by 669 practices about their staffing lists, vacancies and locum use for the year ending 31 March 2025.

It also revealed that the GP vacancy rate had decreased from 7.6% on 31 March 2024 to 3.8% this year.

RCGP Scotland chair Dr Chris Provan welcomed the rise of WTE GPs, but was hesitant to view it as a turning point for the workforce.

He said: ‘Today’s data marks the first time in several years that the number of whole-time equivalent GPs in Scotland has increased. 

‘While this is a welcome development, the rise follows consecutive declines, and the GP workforce remains smaller than pre-pandemic.

‘We need to see future workforce survey publications before we can confidently say this is the beginning of a sustained upward trend in GP numbers.’

He added that general practice in Scotland ‘remains in a state of crisis’ and that the ‘relentless pressure’ of trying to do more with less is ‘taking a toll on GPs’, leading to some feeling they must reduce their hours, retire early, seek work abroad, or leave the profession altogether.

‘This is the result of poor workforce planning and years of underinvestment by the Scottish Government,’ he added.

These workforce figures follow an announcement from the Scottish Government last week stating that GP practices in Scotland will receive an extra £15m investment this year.

The funding is in addition to the £46m investment received via the 25/26 contract, and is to ‘support capacity and ensure GPs and services in the community have the resources they need’, according to the health secretary.

Dr Provan added: ‘Last week’s announcement of a recurring £15 million investment is a positive first step towards properly resourcing general practice. I hope this signals the beginning of a significant shift in funding towards primary care, enabling us to deliver more care closer to home.

‘If the Scottish Government accelerates investment in general practice, we can ensure that today’s increase in whole-time equivalent GP numbers is not a one-off, but the start of a meaningful and lasting growth in the GP workforce. I hope today’s figures mark a turning point.’

Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland (MDDUS) chief medical officer Dr John Holden said that the WTE figure still lags behind the number of full-time equivalent GPs working in Scotland before the pandemic and ‘masks the crisis many practices continue to face amid unprecedented patient demand’.

He said: ‘It would be churlish not to acknowledge the improvement this report shows, with a 4% increase in the number of full-time equivalent GPs working in Scotland.

‘Our advisers hear regularly from GPs under pressure and worried that the overwhelming demands on their time will lead to errors that will harm patients and their own careers.

‘This unsustainable position has direct personal consequences for many doctors, with rates of stress and burnout still stubbornly and worryingly high.

‘So while it is encouraging to see the numbers of FTE GPs increase, we are looking to Scottish ministers to continue to accelerate recruitment and retention initiatives and to address the systemic issues causing distress to so many GPs and their teams.’

Health secretary Neil Gray said: ‘We are determined to make it easier for people to see their GP and I am very pleased to see these new figures showing an increase of 4% in the number of Whole Time Equivalent GPs – the first increase since 2019.

‘While this is welcome, we are determined to go further because we know that GPs are still working under a great deal of pressure and we want to do more to support them, including meeting our commitment to employ an additional 800 GPs by 2027.’

In June, the BMA’s Scottish GP Committee (SGPC) began a ‘formal dispute’ with the Government, citing ‘years of disinvestment in general practice’ with financial cuts opposed to uplifts to GP partners’ pay. 

It said that £290m of extra funding – around 1% of the NHS budget in Scotland – was required to deliver full funding restoration.