Future of Dunbeath GP practice hanging in the balance
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COMMUNITY representatives in Dunbeath fear they could be the latest rural part of the Highlands and Islands left without a permanent GP for a lengthy period.
The concern follows the decision by current doctor Natasha Usher and her husband Andrew, who is a partner and practice manager, to leave in September.
If no replacement is found, NHS Highland will take over the running of the village practice and employ locum doctors to maintain the service on a temporary basis.
The issue has arisen as health chiefs admit it is becoming increasingly difficult to fill single-handed GP practices.
NHS Highland north primary care manager Fiona Duff said if no permanent arrangement could be found at Dunbeath, it would look at other options, including closing down the surgery and merging it with a neighbouring practice.
"It has been agreed with Dr Usher following the closing date for responses of May 20th, there will be discussions between her and NHS Highland about the next steps, depending on what interest the advert has stimulated," she said.
"If there is no suitable candidate, and Dr Usher formally resigns, NHS Highland will, in consultation with the community, consider what is the most sustainable and viable option for the future provision of GP services."
Ms Duff added: "There are several options, including recruiting a single-handed GP or merging with another practice.
"If no permanent solution is found by October, NHS Highland will take over the practice under temporary arrangements, with the staff becoming employees of NHS Highland and locum doctors being employed." NHS Highland is currently working with Scottish Government on initiatives to help recruit and retain staff in remote and rural communities.
Ms Duff said: "Part of this work is looking at sustainable options for the future, and there is concern that, for a number of reasons, such as professional isolation and attractiveness to GPs, single-handed general practice is no longer a sustainable option."
Mr Usher declined to comment when contacted to discuss the future of the village practice.
Berriedale and Dunbeath Community Council chairman Neil Buchanan said there is great concern about the potential loss of the medical service. The community council plan to hold a meeting with representatives from NHS Highland about the surgery’s future.
Mr Buchanan said: "We are facing being served by a practice which is being run by locums.
"Trying to get medical professionals to move to the far north of Scotland is a difficult task and we need to work together to try and resolve the issue."
Riverbank Medical Practice in Thurso has been run by NHS Highland since December after its previous partnership stood down.
The clinic which serves 6000 patients in the town has failed to attract a new partnership to take over the running of the practice, which is also operated by locum GPs.
In October, last year a third of all GP vacancies in the NHS Highland area were for positions based in Caithness.
Highland Health and Social Care Committee patient and public representative David Flear said that with a shortage of GPs nationally, the public had to be realistic about what can be done.
"It is a generalised problem across the Highlands due to a shortage of GPs nationally," he said.
"Not everybody wants to take up work in a rural area, especially to professionals who have families.
"NHS Highland can make the package as attractive as possible, but it is only attractive if people want it, it is the same situation in any skilled trade in the Highland, it depends on the will of the person to live in the area."
