MSP hits out at moves to axe out-of-hours GP service in Glenrothes

Minister to be asked why town is being ‘unfairly targeted’

Health Minister Jeane Freeman is to be asked to look into a controversial recommendation to close the out of hours GP service in Glenrothes.

Local SNP MSP Jenny Gilruth said she intends to write to Ms Freeman, claiming the town has been unfairly targeted during an “opaque process” by Fife Health and Social Care Partnership.

A final decision on out of hours services across Fife will be made by the partnership’s integration joint board on Friday.

Officers had originally proposed keeping evening, overnight and weekend GP provision at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, and Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline, but closing the service in Glenrothes and St Andrews.

An outcry in the communities where bases were earmarked for closure saw the partnership go back to the drawing board and come up with a new plan to keep a watered-down service in St Andrews but press ahead with closing Glenrothes.

Ms Gilruth said the recommendation came as no surprise.

“GP out of hours have been closed since April 2018 – that’s over 400 days ago – at Dunfermline, St Andrews and Glenrothes,” she said.

“Now we learn that a deal has been done for St Andrews and that Dunfermline too will be saved.

“Why then was Glenrothes considered expendable?”

“What I will never understand is why exactly Glenrothes was unfairly targeted by the local health and social care partnership.

“Divide and rule sees certain communities protected and poorer communities sold out. Health and social care integration should not be punishing those most in need.

“I will be writing to the cabinet secretary to raise my serious concerns.”

In its recommendation, the health and social care partnership said working from four bases would be very challenging for staff.

They said the revised model would be clinically safe, would support the recruitment and retention of staff and would be more financially sustainable.

They added that the proposal was acceptable to most GPs across Fife.

Health and social care integration should not be punishing those most in need.

JENNY GILRUTH MSP