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General practice on the devolved election frontline

Published on 06 October 2025

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May 2026 will see elections to the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Senedd, and RCGP will be speaking to the political parties seeking their support for a sustainable general practice service for the future.

At the UK General Election last year, the Scottish National Party were routed by a resurgent Labour, but recent opinion polling suggests they remain on track to be the largest party in the Scottish Parliament.

Wales has been a Labour fiefdom, with the Party topping the poll in every national election since 1922, but currently they’re polling third behind both Plaid Cymru and Reform UK. The Senedd will also see a new fully proportional electoral system introduced and an additional 36 Members of the Senedd (MSs). Despite this, it’s possible that both the current Labour Government and Conservative opposition will see their total number of MSs reduced.

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Dr Rowena Christmas at the Senedd Cymru Welsh Parliament

In both parliaments, an outright majority for one political party looks very unlikely, so negotiations are to be expected after the votes are cast.

This turbulent background provides the context for RCGP's campaign work. With health policy entirely devolved, both RCGP Cymru Wales and RCGP Scotland have developed dedicated manifestos.

RCGP Wales Chair Dr Rowena Christmas, said: "As policy diverges between the four nations of the UK, it’s important to have tailored messages in each nation. However, there is also scope to learn what works and what does not between the nations.”

While the detailed asks vary, there is a pattern between the calls of the College in Scotland and Wales with a focus on increasing the share of NHS funding received by general practice. This will allow for a health system which is more responsive to the patient, eases the pressures on the wider NHS, and delivers better value for the taxpayer. A call for policy to encourage healthy communities through prevention and a focus on health equity is also prominent. At the core of both documents is the need to grow the general practice workforce to meet patient need and allow GPs more time to spend with patients and for professional development.

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RCGP Scotland’s manifesto, ‘General practice: the solution to the NHS crisis’ was launched in September, with coverage in the Scottish media. An event is planned later this year, providing key advocates a chance to share College manifesto asks and why they matter with MSPs.

'How General Practice can save the Welsh NHS', the RCGP Wales manifesto, is being formally launched on Friday 10 October at the RCGP Annual Conference in Newport. Anyone attending Conference can attend the launch and hear from Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee Peter Fox MS and Marie Brousseau-Navarro, Deputy Future Generations Commissioner. The Wellbeing of Future Generations Act was a piece of legislation in which Wales led the conversation, and should be of interest to members from across the College, not just those working in Wales.

Manifesto launches are part of a wider campaign, which is already seeing the College engaging with all main political parties, and there have already been examples of policies being adopted following those discussions.

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Dr Chris Provan, Chair of RCGP Scotland outside Scottish Parliament

And while the College is hard at work, GPs too can play their part by advocating for the improvements the College is calling for. Dr Chris Provan, Chair of RCGP Scotland explained: “The College will always champion the needs of general practice and our patients, but there is real value in the politicians hearing directly from GPs and their teams, as happened recently when the First Minister spoke to the East Scotland Faculty.

“Over the next few months, the experience of patients accessing general practice will repeatedly come up in the election debates and doorstep conversations. We need the next government to hear the voice of GPs loud and clear.”

One practical step that all RCGP members can take in both Scotland and Wales is to contact their candidates, and support College campaigns. Information on Scottish activity can be found on the Scottish Parliament elections webpage, and Welsh activity on the RCGP Wales webpage.

Drs Christmas and Provan agree: “Elections are fought and won on practical concerns such as economic performance, educational attainment and how responsive the health service is to people’s needs. There will be plenty of bluster, but the messages that cut through about tangible issues will shape the next governments of both Scotland and Wales – so please do help us to get the College’s calls through to politicians.”