The Scottish Government was under fire from opposition MSPs last night over a “failure” ensure the north has enough GPs.
Shadow Health Secretary Donald Cameron claimed NHS Highland had been “forced” into slashing out-of-hours doctor cover across the region.
The Conservative MSP said: “The SNP’s comprehensive failure to ensure Scotland has enough GPs is forcing health boards to come up with these plans.
“Some decent forward planning from the Scottish Government could have averted all this.
“Instead, NHS Highland is having to devise alternatives which could cost the taxpayer significantly more money in the long-term.
“GPs should be gatekeepers to the NHS, yet in the Highlands it seems a shortage of them is having the opposite effect.”
Health Secretary Shona Robison responded last night, saying: “Our NHS is facing different demands from those of a decade ago and we need to ensure all parts of the system work as effectively as possible to support an ageing population, with more complex, multiple conditions.
“We want a high-quality out-of-hours service which fully meets patient needs and does so consistently and reliably throughout Scotland which is why we are investing £10million to take forward the recommendations made in Sir Lewis Ritchie’s Review into out-of-hours care.
“This includes a multi-disciplinary team approach, utilising the skills of a range of highly trained professionals in the NHS and ensure patients are seen by the person best able to address their needs.”