Chief Medic quits in shame after driving to 2nd home

THE top doctor in Scotland sensationally quit last night after she was given a police warning for driving to her second home in defiance of her own advice.

Dr Catherine Calderwood twice travelled more than an hour to the property – despite telling others to stay at home.

The chief medical officer had earlier apologised, inset, and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon initially backed her remaining in the post. She had been fronting the Scottish government’s campaign where she said: ‘To help save lives, stay at home. Anyone can spread coronavirus. Only go out when absolutely necessary for food, medicine, work or exercise.’

In a statement yesterday she said: ‘I am deeply sorry for my actions and the mistakes I have made.

‘The First Minister and I have had a further conversation and we agreed that the justifiable focus on my behaviour risks becoming a distraction from the hugely important job that government and the medical profession has to do in getting the country through this coronavirus pandemic.

‘The most important thing to me now and over the next few very difficult months is that people across Scotland know what they need to do to reduce the spread of this virus and that means they must have complete trust in those who give them advice.’

Dr Calderwood, a 51-year-old consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, was pictured walking with her husband and children near their coastal retreat in Earlsferry, Fife, 44 miles from her home in Edinburgh. Dr Calderwood had tweeted a photo of her family at their city home on Thursday clapping for NHS staff.

Dr Calderwood was handed a police warning after making the trip. The Scottish Government has criticised those with second homes and campervans travelling to the Highlands to isolate.