SNP will create network of walk-in GP services, says Swinney

Scotland’s first minister has announced a network of walk-in GP services to provide one million more appointments across the country.

John Swinney said they would be working from noon to 8pm seven days a week to deal with the “8am appointment rush” that is putting pressure on surgeries.

The announcement came during his keynote speech at the SNP conference in Aberdeen.

Swinney also reiterated his commitment to Scottish independence, announced a sponsorship scheme for social care workers and criticized Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for Labour’s record in Westminster.

The first minister said there was “no issue more important” than the NHS.

He told delegates that the family medicine program would start in 15 centers and then expand across Scotland.

He said: “They will break away from the status quo. They will contribute to the care we already value. GPs and nurses will work.

“You also won’t have to call to make an appointment. This means more people can go after work – when it suits their lives.”

Swinney promised the first site would be up and running “within the year.”

The first minister also said Scotland was being harmed by the morally wrong “race to the right” of parties at Westminster.

He said this had led to an “80 per cent drop” in the number of overseas nurses the NHS was able to recruit and the closure of the visa route for care home staff.

Swinney said: “Thousands of care workers in the UK are left adrift and helpless, completely legally.

“Nurses can’t operate while screaming for staff. In what world does this make any sense?”

He said the Scottish government would sponsor staff overseas “so they can work, pay taxes and help keep care homes in Scotland running”.

Swinney said Scotland’s elders “should not pay the price for Westminster’s bias”.

The first minister went on to criticize Sir Keir Starmer, who promised to be a left-wing Labor leader but has become a “right-wing prime minister”.

“He’s dressing like Nigel Farage now,” he said.

He said Starmer had not produced the progressive policies that won Labor votes.

Swinney said he was determined to give Scotland a “fresh start” through independence.

He said it would be “a modern, outward-looking, inclusive, compassionate country.”

“Not a commissioned nation, but the world’s newest independent nation.”

on saturday, SNP members back Swinney’s plan The party has declared a mandate for a second independence referendum if it wins a majority of seats in next year’s Holyrood election.

Swinney told delegates that his proposals were the most realistic way to achieve the goal, based on precedent that led to the 2014 referendum.

Scotland Voted against leaving the UK by a margin of 55.3% to 44.7% In September 2014.

Sir Keir Starmer, who will have to agree to any vote, has previously said he could not imagine Indyref 2 happening during his time in office.