Who knows which of our opposition worthies made the freedom of information request in the desperate hope of revealing a flood of disgruntled, knackered GPs equally desperate to retire early?
FOI reference: FOI/19/00535
Date received: 22 Feb 2019
Date responded: 12 Mar 2019
Information requested
In each of the past three years, how many GPs have successfully applied to take their pension early as a result of resignation/retirement in each health board area?
https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-19-00535/
As of 30th September 2018, there were 4 994 GPs in Scotland.
So, between 1.32% and 1.42% of Scottish GPs have successfully applied to take their pension early in the last three years. Not exactly a flood so probably not worthy of a major research project to find out why.
However, just out of interest, I was able to find out in 2015, that there was no evidence of a massive problem of stress:
Talking-up Scotland 
But, I can see how Nomedia might spin this. Between 2018 and 2019, 5 more fitted the criteria, which is a 7.5% increase. The 2019 figure is only for 11 months, so extrapolating linearly to a year, the figure becomes 8.2%, which in Nomedia speak is ‘nearly 10%’. So, the headline becomes, ‘GPs reporting stress SOARS by 10% in one year!’ A spokesperson for the Scottish Conservative and Labour Party (SCALP) says, ‘This is pure bad’. The Scottish Government DENIED this was evidence of a CRISIS in health care. Following the deaths of two patients after an infection from pigeon droppings, this is YET MORE EVIDENCE OF INCOMPETENCE BY THIS SNP GOVERNMENT.’
Nomedia contacted two fascists who said, ‘this is because there are too many immigrants working in the health service.’
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You’ve got it! Job offer in the post.
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