Two new doctors have started work in a remote west Highland community which has had difficulty in attracting health professionals.
The new GPs at Acharacle Medical Practice in Lochaber are Dr Louise McAdam and Dr Becky Weir.
An NHS Highland spokesman said the health board was pleased to have secured two GPs for the practice and was hoping to recruit more staff to support them.
He said: “Dr Louise McAdam and Dr Becky Weir have signed a permanent and fixed three-month contract with NHS Highland respectively.
“NHS Highland is using a locum GP to work alongside Dr McAdam and Dr Weir providing an in hours and on call service until we are able to recruit more multidisciplinary health professionals to support the doctors.”
It is understood that a third doctor, who would have taken up another post at the practice, is unwell and will not be available for some time.
Pines Medical Centre in Acharacle experienced a staffing crisis when two GPs, Dr Simon Topham and Dr Rob Colebrook, and Dr Colebrook’s wife, Julie, who was the practice manager, resigned in 2012 citing a lack of support from NHS Highland.
And the health board has made several unsuccessful attempts at advertising for GPs for the practice, before securing the doctors who have now taken up the posts.
West Ardnamurchan Community Council chairwoman Rosie Curtis said they were pleased that two doctors had been appointed.
She said: “People have been complaining that there is no continuity and that they end up seeing a succession of locums.
“These two doctors will give us a degree of continuity, but I am concerned to learn that one of them has only signed a three-month contract.”
Mrs Curtis added that they were hoping nurse practitioners would also be appointed soon to provide out of hours cover.
She said the community council would be calling for a meeting with NHS Highland to ask for an update on medical cover in the area.