Dr Finlay image of Scotland hindering GP recruitment

The Dr Finlay's Casebook image of Scotland's country doctors is hindering attempts to solve the country's GP crisis, a leading medical recruitment agency has claimed.

Jason Flemyng, Annette Crosbie (Janet), Ian Bannen (Dr Cameron) and David Rintoul pose during filming of Doctor Finlay, the remake of Dr Finlay's Casebook, in Auchtermuchty in Fife, July 1992.

According to Head Medical, an outdated perception of the role of a rural Scottish GP is putting off potential candidates.

“The idea that the modern country doctor in Scotland is anything like Dr Finlay’s Casebook is still a bit of a problem,” said Jo Hood, head of UK recruitment for the Edinburgh-based consultancy, which recently launched a new department to help English, Scandinavian, Dutch and other European doctors relocate to Scotland.

“To a certain degree the view of the rural GP is outdated.”

Scotland is currently facing a major doctor shortage, especially among GPs.

Latest figures show the number of GPs working in Scotland has fallen and that one in five practices have at least one vacancy for a full-time doctor. The number of posts still vacant after six months rose from 42 last year to 80 this year.

Dr Alan McDevitt, of the British Medical Association, last week told MSPs on Holyrood’s health committee that there was a major problem in recruiting GPs through traditional channels.