Practices in Scotland could be underfunded on their notional rent by up to 84%, experts claim.
GP Surveyors – a team of chartered surveyors specialising in GP surgeries, said it has achieved Notional Rent increases for GP practices in Scotland of 20.95% over the past three years, compared to 10% across the UK.
Therefore, Scottish surgeries may be entitled to claim double the notional rent they currently receive.
Paul Conlan, Managing Surveyor at GP Surveyors, said the volume of work the company is now receiving from GPs in Scotland has “increased significantly” over the past year. Yet he accused some practices who, he said, are unable to cope with their large patient lists of “sitting on their laurels”.
One of the largest Notional Rent increases achieved by GP Surveyors was 84.1% at Rutherglen Health Centre, Glasgow.
“I had thought that our rent didn’t quite reflect the standard and location of our surgery however I never imagined that we were being underfunded by such a phenomenal amount,” said the Centre’s Dr Campbell.
“Following a survey of our premises and negotiations with the District Valuer, GP Surveyors increased our rent from £13,200 per year to £24,300 per year which is an annual increase of 84.1%.
”I would encourage all Scottish surgeries that are on a Notional Rent scheme to seek a second opinion on their reimbursement. There are so many practices in Scotland who are in need of investment however a notional rent increase could be a large step towards achieving this.”
Conlan said miscalculations of the reimbursable area in the practice and a “cautious” approach taken by a District Valuer can be to blame for practices being underfunded.
