In the final part of this three-part series, the behind-the-scenes access exposes the pressure points on every aspect of running a GP practice. Having taken over the surgery in the nearby town of Rothes that would otherwise have closed, the senior GPs face a hefty bill to get the building up to standard.
Dr Ron Stewart makes the journey to see patients at a temporary surgery set up in a rented house - but with staff off sick in Elgin, the system is badly stretched. Adding to the pressures on Scotland;s GP practices are increasingly complex or demanding conditions affecting patients. Obesity and unhealthy lifestyles take their toll, as does the significant increase in the elderly population living longer but often with poor health.
Up to 40 per cent of GP consultations involve issues of mental health, and Dr Graham Taylor must use all his experience to assess a patient who tells him he has been feeling suicidal. One of Dr Robert Lockhart's patients faces a long and worrying wait for neurological test results. As the senior GPs reflect on how they are managing to deliver a safe service for their 17,000 patients, a neighbouring surgery declares a crisis and a further 5,000 people could soon be looking for a doctor.
