Attitudes of general practitioners who practice in remote island communities

To describe the personal, social and medical attitudes of doctors who practice on the islands off the West coast of Scotland.

Questionnaire survey with a single follow-up.

All 65 general practitioners (GPs) who practice on the 17 islands located off the West coast of Scotland.

Fifty-two (80%) responded after a single reminder. The main advantages identified were continuity of care, personal relationships with patients and involvement with the local community. Other important reasons were the opportunity to exercise clinical skills and appreciation of their local environment such as the beauty of the scenery. Disadvantages were associated with isolation, difficulty in obtaining cover, in attending refresher courses and the burden of sole responsibility.

The GPs who practice in remote island practices believe that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. They value continuity of care and their relationships with patients and communities. This survey suggests that the difficulties of staffing remote island communities may partly be addressed by allowing undergraduate students and postgraduate colleagues access to these general practitioners.