Responding to the SNP (Scottish National Party) Manifesto published today (Thursday 12 April 2007), which pledged to train more generalists to provide local healthcare, and also to introduce “life begins” health checks to all adults aged 40, Dr Stuart Scott, joint deputy chairman of the BMA’s Scottish GPs’ Committee, said:
“There is little evidence to suggest that these general health checks will actually improve the health of patients. GPs already provide comprehensive care to patients with chronic illness, creating individual care plans to help manage their conditions. Taking GPs away from this important work to do these general health checks would be a terrible waste of resources.
“We would much rather see more effort put into targeting particular groups of adults, such as men living in deprived or disadvantaged communities, who are reluctant to go to their doctor and are at increased risk of developing chronic disease.”
