A programme aimed at tackling GP recruitment in remote and rural areas is set to be rolled out in Dumfries and Galloway.
The Rediscover the Joy of General Practice was launched in 2018 to offer GPs fixed term placements in four health board areas.
And, after recruiting 60 GPs across two cohorts, it is now set to be introduced to NHS Dumfries and Galloway.
The programme – known as The Joy – was launched by the Scottish Rural Medicine Collaborative and aims to ease pressure on practices with long time vacancies as well as providing cover for absences.
Each cohort makes up a rural support team of doctors who take on placements at practices in remote and rural areas. The GPs choose how much they want to work, usually in blocks of one to four weeks.
Chair of the collaborative and chief executive of NHS Highland Pam Dudek said: “Our programme board was delighted at its recent meeting to endorse plans to spread The Joy to other parts of the country.
“For a variety of reasons many GP practices have found it difficult to attract and keep doctors. Working in remote and rural areas isn’t necessarily for everybody but The Joy is undoubtedly making it a much more attractive proposition.
“It has been effective in the four original board areas and I am sure it will play a significant part in easing pressure on GP practices in Dumfries and Galloway.”
